LEGAZPI CITY, Albay – A high-ranking New People's Army (NPA) leader was killed in an encounter with the military in Juban town, Sorsogon province on Tuesday morning, July 2.
AN ancestral house in Juban, Sorsogon. (Wikipedia)
The 9th Infantry Division (ID) identified the slain communist fighter as Arnel Estiller, alias Mando, Arnel, and Ariston, secretary of Sub-regional Committee 3 (SRC3), Bicol Regional Party Committee (BRPC).
Estiller died in a 30-minute gunfight with the 22nd Infantry Battalion in Barangay Biriran.
He was the father of Jose Marie Estiller, alias Maria and Bagi, the leader of Panlabang Yunit Gerilya-Sorsogon, who was arrested in Batangas recently.
Arnel is facing murder and frustrated murder charges. He was tagged in extortion activities and violence in Sorsogon.
“Taong 1985 nang magsimula itong pumasok sa kilusan bilang miyembro at kalaunan ay naging kalihim ng nasabing grupo na nakatalaga sa buong probinsya ng Sorsogon (Estiller entered the movement in 1985 and eventually became the secretary of the communist group in Sorsogon),” the 9th ID said.
Makailang ulit na ring binabalewala ni Estiller ang mga paanyaya ng otoridad at panghihikayat ng kanyang pamilya na magbalik-loob sa pamahalaan dahil sa mga pribilehiyong nakukuha nito mula sa pagiging lider ng kilusan (Estiller did not heed the call of authorities and his family to surrender because of his benefits as member of the communist movement), the 9th ID added.
The 9th ID said his death is a victory is not just for authorities but also for the people of Sorsogon and peace-loving Filipinos.