BACOLOD CITY – The Army 3rd Infantry Division (ID) vowed to launch relentless operations to hunt the perpetrators behind the killing of a businessman in Toboso, Negros Occidental on January 2.
MAP of Toboso, Negros Occidental where a businessman was shot dead on January 2.
The killing of Juvinie Sarona, 43, of Barangay Bug-ang is the first insurgency-related incident reported this year.
Sarona was shot dead by five out of 15 gunmen who stormed his house while he was having dinner with his uncle. Their family owned tractor was damaged after the gunmen burned the heavy equipment.
The New People’s Army (NPA) has claimed responsibility for the attack as a punishment to Sarona for being an alleged leader of a gun-for-hire group and allegedly involved in land grabbing in the town.
The Roselyn Jean Pelle Command-Northern Negros Guerrilla Front of the NPA (RJPC-NPA) linked Sarona to the “Sagay 9” massacre in Sagay City in 2018 in which nine sugarcane plantation workers or “sacadas” were killed.
“This military action conducted by the RJPC-NPA was part of the guerrilla front's celebration of the 55th anniversary of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP),” it said.
It added that it is a part of their resolve to recover from previous losses and rebuild mass base.
Police Major Jun Ray Batadlan, Toboso police chief, said that these are all allegations of the NPA since the victim was a well-known supporter of the government who pushes for peace and development.
Batadlan said that the victim had no criminal records and was even helping the military and the police.
The Army condemned Sarona’s death and called it a tragic incident.
“We assured the family of the 3rd ID’s support in seeking justice,” Major Gen. Marion Sison, 3rd ID commander, said in a statement.
Sarona engaged in buy and sell of sugarcane trucks and was known for his strong support to government peace and development initiatives and collaboration with the military and police in anti-communist campaign, the Army said.
He also employed former NPA rebels in his furniture shop and other business ventures to help them return to mainstream society with their families, according to the Army.
The Army tagged the remnants of the Northern Negros Front (NNF), Komiteng Rehiyon-Negros, Cebu, Bohol, Siquijor (KR-NCBS) as responsible for the incident.
Sison symphatized with Sarona's family and strongly condemned the “ruthless” act.
He encouraged them to file a complaint against the NPA for violation of the International Humanitarian Law (IHL).
"We should not be cowed and intimidated by this incident,” Sison said.
Police said they have identified some perpetrators in the incident, adding that they were part of the same group behind the killings in Calatrava, Negros Occidental.
Sison said that the NPA believed that it would be much easier for them to recover their lost mass base and rebuild their mass organizations especially in geographically isolated areas.
“We should not allow the NPA to again re-establish their influence and presence in our communities,” he added.