LA CARLOTA CITY - Claims of the military that the New People's Army employed "terror tactics" on those who will not support the insurgency movement and are cooperating with the Philippine Army, yesterday got a boost when the Leonardo Panaligan Command admitted responsibility for the recent summary execution of two former militiamen and a civilian in central Negros.

Lt. Col. Jess Manangquil, 11th Infantry Battalion commander, yesterday said the Leonardo Panaligan Command resorts to liquidation activities because it failed to implement their tactical offensives against military targets in central Negros.

In a statement from the Bagong Hukbo ng Bayan Leonardo Panaligan Command, copies of which are being circulated in Isabela and Guihulngan and in upland areas of Isabela, its spokesman, JB Regalado, admitted that they were responsible for the slay of Rubio Deniega, Nelson Garde and ex-CAFGU member Rudy Azuncion in Guihulngan, whom the revolutionary movement accused of engaging in counter-revolutionary activities such as serving as military informants.

Regalado warned CAFGUs, members of the Barangay Intelligence Network, politicians, individuals or groups not to allow themselves to be used by the military, or by influential people. Manangquil said they noted that the Leonardo Panaligan Command was responsible for the assassination of more than 20 people in central Negros alone.

Military records show that there have been 43 victims of assassination by the New People's Army from 2005 to this month in Negros island.

The Commission on Human Rights is encouraging families of the victims of extra-judicial killings in Negros, to submit the necessary documents for the filing of charges against the perpetrators.

The New People's Army was also tagged as suspects in the burning of 18 hectares of sugarcane fields owned by sugar planter Reynaldo Bantug in Brgy. Mabini, Escalante, on Feb. 27.

Two days before that, about 20 rebels led by a certain Ka Omar Chua also burned the two tractors and a cargo truck owned by the family of Mayor Alfonso Gamboa in Brgy. Caduhaan, Cadiz City, for their refusal to pay P1 million in revolutionary taxes.

Two farm tractors of Betty Montinola were also burned by alleged rebels in the same area late last year, police records also showed.

The Alab Katipunan yesterday filed complaints of harassment, grave coercion and grave threats, as well as trespassing against a group of New People's Army rebels led by Ernesto Gimang, alias Ka Butch, and his group, before the CHR.

AK secretary general Ben Solilapsi said the group of Gimang armed with high-powered firearms , entered the house of AK organizer Narciso Manigos looking for firearms, and warned him not to continue his organizing activities.

He added that they are filing more complaints against the same group of rebels who, he said, also threatened AK organizer Aladdin Flores in Murcia, Negros Occidental.*GPB

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