Suspected hitmen of the New People's Army Jean Pelle Command struck again yesterday killing a rebel returnee-turned-militiaman, who used to work with Vice Mayor Santiago Barcelona, at a public market in Brgy. Balintawak, Escalante City , police said.

Added to the list of victims of violence in Escalante City since the May election last year was Jury Alzado Sr.

Alzado, 55, sustained multiple gunshot wounds at the back of his head and waist, and died on the spot, initial police investigations showed.

His assassination was allegedly perpetrated by three young men armed with .45 and 9mm caliber pistols, police said. However, Escalante Mayor Melecio Yap Jr. said it was an insurgency-related incident.

Yap said Alzado received death threats, before the incident, and dismissed as fiction insinuations that it may be related to politics.

Letters signed by the Jean Pelle Command left by the gunmen at the crime scene, enumerated the alleged abuses committed by Alzado, who was reportedly a member of the AIGs (Armed Independent Groups) operating in northern Negros, and a rebel-returnee-turned-militiaman in the early 1980s.

Escalante policemen recovered from the crime scene seven empty shells of .45 caliber and 9mm pistols, two live ammunition of .45 caliber and its deformed slug.

The death of Alzado came two months after the same rebel group claimed responsibility for the killing of Ferjun Damalerio and for the injury of his father, Brgy. Capt. Norberto Damalerio, in November last year. Both are supporters of Barcelona .

Police records also show that two other Barcelona supporters – Kagawad Salvador Agaton and Eliseo Cumawas – were also gunned down in May and in June last year. The killing of Agaton, alias Ka Badong, was also owned by the New People's Army.

Franco said they are investigating the latest wave of violence in Escalante, but said Alzado who used to work with Barcelona had left him after the mid-term elections last year.

Yap ordered the Escalante police to be more visible, intensify checkpoints and campaign against rebels, in coordination with Regional Mobile Group troopers, following the redeployment of Army soldiers to other areas in northern Negros .

Franco said the Escalante police force had already been beefed up by the 611 th Provincial Mobile Group and 6 th Regional Mobile Group troopers who are now stationed in an upland barangay of Escalante.

Governor Joseph Marañon had earlier sought the intervention of the Department of Interior and Local Government to end the violence in Escalante that is linked by some to politics.

The Damalerio and Agaton families have earlier expressed doubts over claims of the New People's Army that they were behind the deaths of Ferjun and Salvador last year.*GPB

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