WV rebels destroy
P100M in properties
BY GILBERT BAYORAN

Estimated damage to properties owned by individuals and private firms bombed and burned by suspected New People’s Army rebels in Negros and Panay since last year, have reached P100 million, Western Visayas military officials said.

Capt. Lowen Gil Marquez, chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines Civil Relations Group in Western Visayas, yesterday said almost P70 million worth of communication facilities, heavy equipment of construction firms, among others, were destroyed by the NPA in four provinces of Panay island, since last year, for failure of their managements to pay revolutionary taxes.

The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines yesterday said it stands firm that the Right of Reply Bill is anathema to democracy, to freedom of expression and of the press, and should never be passed.

“Bacolod City Rep. Monico Puentevella entirely misses the point with his proposal to amend certain provisions of the bill amid growing opposition to his bill from media organizations,” a NUJP press release said.

A member of the elite police Special Action Force assigned in Mindanao was shot, allegedly by his brother-in-law and died yesterday, in Brgy. Sibucao, San Enrique, Negros Occidental.

Senior Insp. Eduardo Corpus, San Enrique police chief, said Police Officer 1 Federito Armateo Jr. died from a gunshot wound in the left side of his chest.

Corpus said the suspect, identified as Peter Gallaza, 32, a security guard and brother-in-law of Armateo, immediately surrendered to the San Enrique Police Station.