Soldiers of the  61st Infantry Battalion were searching for more graves of alleged victims of New People’s Army summary executions in Brgy. Camindangan, Sipalay City, yesterday.

1Lt. Ronald Putol, 61st IB Civil Military Operations chief, said they are still validating information relayed to them that more victims of rebel atrocities were buried in the area, which used to be the main headquarters of the NPA at the height of insurgency operations in southern Negros during the late 1980s and early 1990s.

Skeletal remains of four persons suspected as military informers  allegedly executed by rebels were exhumed Sunday by 61st IB soldiers, assisted by the 614th Provincial Mobile Group, in Sitio Bangco-Bangco, Brgy. Camindangan, Sipalay City.

Romeo Baldevarona, provincial chief of the Commission on Human Rights, yesterday said they will investigate the existence of graves of civilians who were victims of alleged NPA summary execution activities.

Baldevarona said he will request for investigators  from the CHR regional office to investigate and document the alleged  extra-judicial killings  perpetrated by  the NPA.

“We need credible witnesses to validate all the claims and allegations,” he said.

The discovery of the graves of civilians suspected to be military informers was based on information provided by an inactive NPA member to the son of one of the victims, Putol told the DAILY STAR last night.

One of the skeletal remains was that of Kagawad Porferio Tabano, which was positively identified by his son, Jesumar, who is now a militiaman, through the pants and clothes he was wearing during his abduction in August 1989.

The skeletal remains were turned over by the 61st Infantry Battalion to the PNP Crime Laboratory for forensic examinations.

In previous years, mass graves of civilians allegedly executed by rebels in Sitiio Dalinson, Brgy. Marcelo, Calatrava, were also discovered in Calatrava, and in Brgys. Tabugon and Tapi, Kabankalan City, military and CHR records showed.

Baldevarona said the CHR will extend assistance to families whose members are victims of extra-judicial killings.*GPB

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