Police note conflicting reports on death of 'insurgent'

MANILA, Philippines - Mystery shrouds the death of an alleged member of the New People’s Army (NPA) in Camarines Sur last Feb. 25, which coincided with the 25th anniversary celebration of the EDSA 1 People Power revolution.

Chief Superintendent Cecilio Calleja Jr., Bicol police director, admitted that there were conflicting reports on the death of Roel Estrellado, 34, an alleged member of the Bicol Regional Party Committee.

In an interview with The STAR, Calleja quoted Army Maj. Danilo Ambe as saying that Elmer Estrellado was killed in an encounter with members of the 42nd Infantry Battalion in Barangay Buluang, Bato, Camarines Sur at around 6:30 a.m. last Feb. 25.

Calleja said pictures taken of the victim at the Bato police station when presented to his father-in-law, Marcelo Buama, “confirmed that indeed Elmer Estrellado and Rodel Estrellado are one and the same person.”

Calleja said the Army leadership supported the soldiers’ position that Estrellado was killed in a legitimate operation, contrary to the witnesses’ statements.

Estrellado’s wife Marilyn and neighbors, however, claimed that he could not have been involved in the encounter at 6:30 a.m. since he was seen with several neighbors in a basketball court at around 8:30 a.m. or about two hours after the supposed encounter.

Mrs. Estrellado told authorities that the military was just trying to cover up the alleged murder of her husband.

She said that about 8:30 a.m. on Feb. 25, four armed men seized her husband along Bonafe Street in Barangay 3, Malilipot, Albay, located just near the Camarines Sur boundary. She said the kidnapping was put on the blotter of the Malilipot police.

However, at around 1 p.m., Ambe reported to the Bato police that an encounter with suspected rebels occurred at around 6:30 a.m. in Barangay Buluang that resulted in Estrellado’s death.

Ambe said Estrellado was an NPA commanding officer who was found in possession of a caliber .45 pistol and two improvised explosives.

Calleja said Army Pfc. Dennis Bolor and Christopher Bilo, in their affidavits, said Estrellado was seized.

Initial investigation showed that last Feb. 24, a day before the kidnapping, a certain Pfc. Jomar Buela of the Army’s Intelligence Unit coordinated with the local police about an anti-illegal drug operation.

Buela said their team had two vehicles – a red Toyota Innova (ZEN-172) and blue Toyota Tamaraw (UCP-232) – both belonging to the local Army Battalion.

The STAR also gathered that based on the autopsy on Estrellado, he died at around 11 a.m. and not at 6:30 a.m. as the Army personnel alleged.