Military says 'NPA' rebel killed, slay try foiled in Masbate

A suspected member of the New People’s Army was killed in Masbate's Placer town during a supposed assassination attempt on a barangay chairperson last Tuesday, the military said Thursday.

In a statement, Joint Task Force Bicolandia said Barangay Villa Innocencio Chairman Valiente Mangubat and his aides were invited to a dinner in Barangay Tubod.

When they were about to leave, the military said, four suspected local communist group members fired upon the official’s group, wounding Mangubat and four of his aides, including a 17-year-old.

According to the military, the rebels are under Elias Pautan Canete or Mar of Larangan 2, Komiteng Probinsya 4 of Bicol Regional Party Committee (BRPC).

During the attack, wounded Mangubat was able to fire back and killed one of the attackers, identified as Raymond Naraha, the military statement indicated.

Mangubat and his aides were immediately brought to the nearest hospital, the military added.

The Joint Task Force Bicolandia condemned the attack on the government official and civilians staged by the communist group four days after their killing of three vendors in Palanas, the military said.

Police Regional Office 5 chief Police Brigadier General Jonnel Estomo said the security forces continue their aggressive offensives against the rebels.

Joint Task Force Bicolandia commander Major General Henry Robinson said that their grim stand against the communist rebels will protect families and communalities.

He added that that killing, and attacking innocent civilians both violate the International Humanitarian Law (IHL) and the Philippine Act on Crimes Against International Humanitarian Law, Genocide, and Other Crimes Against Humanity. —Joviland Rita/LBG, GMA News