A woman believed to be a medical officer of the New People’s Army died in an encounter with soldiers of the 47th Infantry Battalion in Sitio Set-an, Brgy. East, Candoni, Negros Occidental, yesterday.
Lt. Col. Rodrigo Sosmena, 47th Infantry Battalion commander, yesterday identified the slain alleged NPA amazon as Julia Pacheco Tabat, with aliases of “Ka Pinay,” “Gab” and “Alex,” who, he said, served as the medical officer of the South West Front committee of the NPA.
Sosmena said the encounter took place at about 5 a.m. yesterday, as his troops responded to reports of civilians that about 20 armed NPA rebels led by Reniel Cellon, alias Kumpol, were consolidating in the area, recruiting and training minors in medical courses, as red fighters, and in making improvised explosives devices, and on landmine operations.
He said Army soldiers were fired at by the rebels, when they were approaching the area, and this triggered an almost 10-minute gunbattle.
Sosmena said that while they were scouring the encounter site they found the slain Tabat whom the fleeing rebels had left behind, assorted medical equipment, and a combat pack with assorted documents, among others.
Military records show that Tabat has pending arrest warrants for attempted murder and two counts of frustrated murder, issued by the Ilog-Candoni Municipal Trial Court.
Sosmena also said that the identity of Tabat, 40, was confirmed by her sister, Cathy Tabat Evangelista of Kabankalan City, based on reports of the Candoni Police Station show.
No casualty was reported on the government side.
Col. Oscar Lactao, 303rd Infantry Brigade commander, said the group of Ka Kumpol is responsible for the series of killings in the hinterlands of Candoni, Ilog, Cauayan and Sipalay City, with civilians, former government militiamen and soldiers on Peace and Development Team missions, as their victims.
The body of Tabat is now at the Candoni infirmary.* GPB back
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