5 Ranking NPA Leaders Slain In Isabela, Ilocos Sur

February 17, 2020 JUST IN

BAGUIO CITY (February 17, 2020) – Five alleged ranking New People’s Army (NPA) leaders were killed in separate clashes with the government troops in Ilagan City, Isabela and Sta Cruz, Ilocos Sur.
Only on Sunday, security forces from the Philippine Army’s 95^th Infantry Battalion clashed and killed an NPA squad leader and another team leader cum medical officer of the Central Front of the Regional “Sentro de Grabidad” of the Cagayan Valley Regional Party Committee.
Only known as “Ka Bobby”, an alleged Squad Leader and “Ka Princes” (a male), a team leader and medical officer, were killed after a firefight with tipped off government soldiers in barangay Rang-ayan, Ilagan City, Isabela on Sunday. A third NPA rebel was also killed.
Lt. Col. Gladius Calilan, Battalion Commander of the 95^th Infantry Battalion said the slain rebel leaders together with their group were foraging for food and extorting from villagers when tipped off to soldiers conducting Community Support Program (CSP) activities near the clash.  “Our troops even tried to convince them to surrender but (rebels) fought back,” Calilan claimed while indicating that they seized an M16 assault rifle, 3 caliber 45 pistols and ammunition’s.
A 16-year old rebel only known as “Ka Jimboy” was “rescued” from the rebel group and two more only known as “Ka Lesli” and “Ka Alvin”, a supply officer and also a team leader surrendered.
While only on Thursday also, alleged NPA- Southern Ilocos Sur leaders Julius Marquez alias “Ka Goyo”, his wife Ennabel Balunos alias “Ka Onor/Leah” and Ma. Finela Mejia alias “Ka Ricky, were reportedly killed by government troopers belonging to the Philippine Army’s 81st Infantry Battalion in Sta. Lucia, Ilocos Sur.
Lt. Colonel Rodrigo Mariñas, Jr., 81^st IB commander claimed they were also tipped off of the presence of NPA rebels meeting in one of the houses in Barangay Namatican, Sta. Lucia.   Together with the police, the soldiers went to the said house to verify but were immediately fired upon by Marquez group ensuing into a firefight.
Though Martin Montana, spokesperson of the Chadli Molintas Command, the operational command of the NPA in Ilocos and Cordillera claimed Marquez, his wife and Mejia were dragged out from the house and were brutally shot on their heads.   “…witnesses from the neighborhood confirmed that no encounter happened and that the three were cold bloodedly murdered,” Montana insisted.
Crime scene investigators accordingly found two caliber .45 pistols (American classic II bearing serial number 4386060 and COLT MK IV bearing serial number 06892E), a pink sling bag containing one hand grenade wrapped with black electric tape, a live ammunition for caliber .45, eight fired shells of caliber .45, two deformed fired bullets, a magazine assembly for caliber .45 and other rebel documents.
Montana insisted “the summary execution of the three NPA members is a clear violation of the articles of war and the Comprehensive Agreement on the Respect of Human Rights and international Humanitarian Law (CARHRIHL), and vowing, “The CMC vows to ensure that revolutionary justice shall be rendered for our murdered comrades.”
Marquez, the military said, is the secretary of the NPA Southern Ilocos Sur Command while his wife is the deputy secretary of the same rebel command.
by: Artemio Dumlao