Ten civilians and a member of the Civilian Armed Forces Geographical Unit were executed by suspected New People’s Army rebels in Negros Occidental last year, military records show.

Lt. Col. Isabelo de los Reyes, 303rd Infantry Brigade Civil Military Operations chief, yesterday said five of the victims, including four civilians, were gunned down by NPA hitmen in northern Negros, three civilians in central Negros, and three more civilians in southern Negros.

De los Reyes said the latest victim of rebel summary execution identified as Freddie Sanchez, a rebel returnee, was shot dead at a videokee house, located in front of his residence in Sitio Peson, Brgy. Mina-utok, Calatrava, on Jan. 7.

Eight complaints of alleged human rights violation were filed against the NPA before the CHR-Bacolod sub-office in 2011.

The killings of some civilians accused of being military informants, were claimed by NPA units deployed in northern, central and southern Negros, in statements they sent to various media outlets in Bacolod City.

Governor Alfredo Maranon Jr. yesterday called on the rebel returnees to be vigilant and take extra precautionary measures, against retaliation moves of their former comrades.

Sanchez, alias Warboy, was among the first batch of 44 rebel returnees who availed of financial and livelihood assistance from the provincial government of Negros Occidental last year, after their surrender to infantry units of the 303rd Infantry Brigade.

De los Reyes said the 62nd Infantry Battalion is assisting the family of Sanchez in filing a complaint before the Commission on Human Rights, and charges before the court against the rebels behind his assassination.

At the same time, he added that the 62IB also extended financial and burial assistance to the family of Sanchez, who was accused by the NPA of being a military informant, a claim he dismissed as baseless.

Col. Oscar Lactao, 303rd IB commander, said the killing of Sanchez was aimed to discourage their comrades who may want to abandon the armed struggle, and to terrorize those who returned to the mainstream society.

Lactao ordered his commanders to get in touch with the remaining rebel returnees, to tighten their security, and to counter death threats from their former comrades.*GPB

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