RPA-ABB leader in Panay killed in ambush

ILOILO CITY, Philippines - — The highest ranking leader of one of the armed factions of the Rebolusyonaryong Partido ng Manggagawa-Pilipinas/Revolutionary Proletarian Army-Alex Boncayao Brigade (RPM-P/RPA-ABB) in Panay Island was killed in an ambush yesterday afternoon in Badiangan, Iloilo.

Demetrio Capilastique, alias Hugo, died on the spot after three men on board a motorcycle peppered him with bullets while he was traversing Barangay Linaywan. After he fell on his motorcycle, the gunmen again shot him more to make sure he was dead.

Eight empty shells of caliber .45 pistol were recovered from the crime scene. Senior Supt. Cornelio Salinas, Iloilo Provincial Police director, said investigation is going on to identify Capilastique's killers. He also urged witnesses to come out and shed light on the incident.

Meanwhile, Brigadier Gen. Arnold Quiapo, commanding officer of the Philippine Army's 301st Infantry Brigade, believed that the CPP-NPA was behind Capilastique's assassination. "Malaking balakid sa kanila si Hugo. There is an ongoing war on turf between them as far as extortion activities are concerned," he said.

Information reaching police and military authorities pointed to quarry businesses giving "protection money" to Hugo's group. But Quiapo believed that they could not be responsible for the assassination.

In some parts of central Iloilo, it was surmised that the RPA-ABB had the upper hand over the CPP-NPA. On top of that, "Hugo has long been on their hit list because he was once an active NPA commander. In fact, he was considered one of the best NPA commanders in Panay before," Quiapo added.

Even Capilastique's wife, Veronica, believed that the NPA was responsible for her husband's death, claiming that she and her husband were fully aware that the latter was on top of the NPA's hitlist.

It can be noted that the breakaway rebel group had two factions after the group of Veronica Tabara and RPA-ABB national commander Stephen Paduano, alias Carapali Lualhati broke away from the group led by Nilo de la Cruz, the RPM-P chair, several years ago.

Paduano has Ramil Farol as his commander in Panay while Nilo de la Cruz had Capilastique and Rustico Cutanda. The conflict between the two groups reportedly stemmed after de la Cruz declared to have expelled Paduano, RPM-P secretary general Tabara, and RPM-P Mindanao head Ariel Sabandar over claims of corruption, among others, in a plenum in 2007.

Paduano however accused De la Cruz for usurpation of authority and indulging in criminal activities, to include gun-for-hire activities.  (FREEMAN)