CAMP COL. RAFAEL C. RODRIGUEZ, Butuan City – The regional command of Caraga Police Regional Office 13 (PRO 13) on Monday condemned the killing of a former New People’s Army (NPA) member by his former comrades in a far-flung area of Barangay Buenavista, in Tandag City, Surigao del Sur province.
PRO 13 Regional Public Information Office (RPIO) chief Maj. Renel E. Serrano told The Manila Bulletin on Monday that the regional command would seek justice for the victim.
“We assure the immediate members of the family of justice for the victim, who was killed at 11:30 a.m. on Friday (July 3) by the suspected NPAs,” the region’s RPIO chief added.
The Tandag City Police Station (TCPS) and Agusan del Sur Police Provincial Office (PPO) are working on the ground to arrest the perpetrators of the victim, identified as Jojo S. Sabelino, 30 years old and resident of Barangay Buenavista of that same city.
Initial TCPS investigation disclosed that witnesses noticed a man and a woman roaming around the barangay, who asked about the exact location of the victim's residence.
After few minutes, gunshots were heard by the neighbors and upon verification, the victim was hit in the different parts of his body leading to his death, said TCPS, in its initial investigation report.
The assailants fled after the commission of the crime, it said.
However, the witnesses were able to identify the female suspect, who was an active NPA member so the follow up pursuit operation is now ongoing, field report said.
“We mourn for the loss of a former rebel who returned to the fold of the law and chose to live a peaceful live,” PRO 13 Regional Director Brig. Gen. Joselito T. Esquivel, Jr. also said.