Abra NPA checking men’s role in assassination of Mayor Benwaren

BANGUED, Abra — The Abra-based Agustin Begnalen Command of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) is still verifying from its operating field units if communist assassins did Tineg Mayor Clarence Benwaren in.

Ka Diego Wadagan, spokesperson of the CPP-NPA in Abra, who earlier warned that the slain mayor will be meted "revolutionary justice for his and his family’s blood debts," said "reports from all field units are still pending." It viewed the Benwaren slay in Calauan, Laguna last Oct. 28 as "just and fitting."

Wadagan issued this statement to The Star in the midst of reports from the investigation being conducted in Region 4 pointing to the NPA as culprits.

"The Agustin Begnalen Command will issue further statements as soon as reports and clarifications from all its field units have been consolidated and verified," Wadagan said.

Wadagan, meanwhile, said that Benwaren’s killing "is a welcome news to the revolutionary movement and to the majority of the people of Tineg."

He asserted that the people of Tineg "has long been misrepresented (by the Benwarens), exploiting and oppressing the people in the name of the people."

He blamed Pedro, Benwaren’s father and predecessor as mayor of Tineg "of being the demolition man in the destruction of revolutionary structures in Tineg during the Oplan Lambat Bitag."

Wadagan also blamed the slain mayor for "being the main force in current counter-revolutionary activities in Tineg."

On Sept. 12, communist guerrillas torched Benwaren’s de facto camp in sitio Vera, also in Tineg, alleged by the NPAs as a command post of counter-revolutionary campaigns in the town.

Benwaren, while still alive, denied the accusation and claimed that the torched facility was a big loss to the people and coffers of Tineg.

While police are still in the dark in the investigation, pointing to either the NPA or political rivalry, Wadagan claimed that the Benwarens "ordered or had implemented themselves the killing of Joseph Ortega, a certain Sanil, Luis, Ango Gawiran, Inmias and Lazaro, to name a few." — Artemio Dumlao