More NPA leaders face ambush raps

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines – More leaders of the New People’s Army (NPA) may soon be included as respondents in the human rights charges filed against the rebel group in connection with the ambush-killing of eight civilians and a policeman in La Castellana, Negros Occidental last Jan. 27, according to the military.

Col. Oscar Lactao, commander of the Army’s 303rd Infantry Brigade based in Murcia town, Negros Occidental, said on Thursday they were gathering evidence against priest-turned-rebel Frank Fernandez, secretary of the NPA’s Komiteng Rehiyonal-Negros, and his wife and deputy, Cleofe Lagtapon, as well as Romeo Nanta, chief of the NPA regional command, who might have a hand in planning the ambush.

Police have filed nine counts of murder and 12 counts of frustrated murder against at least 21 rebels belonging to the NPA’s Larangan Guerilya 1 with a certain Magno Flores as main respondent.

The ambush, which the military and the police dubbed as a “massacre of civilians,” also left 12 others – two policemen and 10 civilians – wounded.

Upon the advice of the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process, police amended the charges to include “war crimes” or violation of Republic Act 9851 (Philippine Act on Crimes Against International Humanitarian Law, Genocide and Other Crimes Against Humanity).