MANILA - Police and soldiers killed a high-ranking New People’s Army (NPA) leader and 4 of his comrades in Barangay Ned, Lake Sebu town in South Cotabato early Wednesday morning.
According to Lieutenant General Corleto Vinluan Jr., commander of the AFP Western Mindanao Command (Wesmincom), the combined forces of the 5th Special Forces Battalion of the Philippine Army and 2nd Provincial Mobile Force Company of the PNP should only serve the warrant of arrest against Romeo Libron , who also uses the aliases Frank and Melvin, for the murder case.
However, Libron and his comrades allegedly fired a gun, so the authorities returned fire.
Among those killed were Libron’s wife Merly and 3 others identified as Rogelio Magsaya alias Sarge, alias Macoy, and alias Megan, who are also members of the NPA.
According to the military, Libron is the Commanding Officer of the Regional Ordnance, Regional Operations Command of the Southern Mindanao Regional Committee of the CPP-NPA.
They are said to be involved in the explosion of buses and other business establishments in central Mindanao because the owners do not want to pay protection money.
Among those confiscated from the victims were 2 long rifles, 2 handguns, two improvised explosive devices, bomb-making materials, and alleged NPA propaganda materials.
- Report by Zhander Cayabyab, ABS-CBN News
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