Rebs eyed in Vizcaya vice mayor’s slay

BAYOMBONG, Nueva Viz—caya — Investigators have ruled out politics in last Friday’s killing of the vice mayor of Alfonso Casta-ñeda town, saying the slaying could possibly be the handiwork of New People’s Army (NPA) guerrillas.

Rep. Carlos Padilla of this province’s lone district, dismissed any possible political motives behind the killing of his avid supporter, Vice Mayor Cezar Laca-nilao, who was shot dead with caliber .45 pistols inside his home in Barangay Lublub by four armed men Friday night.

The armed men, in fatigue uniforms, are believed to be members of the NPA’s Nueva Vizcaya-Quirino Front Committee.

The incident occurred a day before more than 50 fully armed NPA rebels overran another upland town in the province.

On board five passenger jeepneys and a van, the rebels swooped down on the town hall of Santa Fe and occupied it for about 30 minutes following a 30-minute fierce firefight with policemen Sunday morning.

Superintendent Delfin Millo, provincial deputy police director, said the assault resulted in the killing of SPO3 Miguel Cabunitalla, the radio operator of Santa Fe, and the wounding of Inspector Narciso Paragas, the town’s police chief.

The rebels, believed belonging to the Arcadio Peralta Command, ransacked all offices of the town hall and carted away seven M-16 and two M-14 assault rifles, two 9mm pistols, a caliber .45 pistol and several communications equipment.

The rebels also carted away P5,000 worth of medicines from the municipal health office. They fled toward the south in the direction of neighboring Nueva Ecija.

The Santa Fe incident came a week after Chief Superintendent Rowland Albano, Cagayan Valley police director, placed the entire region on red alert due to possible attacks from the NPA in the run-up to the 32nd anniversary of the Communist Party of the Philippines tomorrow.

Albano’s directive was prompted by an earlier incident in Angadanan, Isabela where NPA rebels raided the police station and carted away 16 M-16 assault rifles.