AFP bares planned hit on 5 brgy. captains
Lives of at least five barangay captains in the Province of Iloilo are reportedly in danger following intelligence reports of planned assassinations.
The "sample" hit job was supposedly Tuesday's daring broad daylight killing in Janiuay, Iloilo. Dead on the spot was Barangay Kipot village chief, Gerry Colaha who was shot at close range by two male shooters in their teens.
Clearly the handiwork albeit 'old-style" of communist-terrorists New People's Army (NPA) said Captain Lowen Gil Marquez of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) in an interview with RMN-dyRI yesterday.
Same hit squad, Captain Marquez, added who are out to execute more killings on local targets seen by the local communist hierarchy as "enemies."
As such, a general warning is out on reelectionist barangay officials to be extra vigilant and to immediately report any suspicious incidents or leads to the nearest police or army detachment.
The Janiuay killing is currently subject of extensive manhunt police operations with the military forces in the area providing back-up.
The latest victim of NPA violence was believed to have been targeted for his staunch objection on communist presence in his village. The News Today (TNT) learned that the hapless victim has since been marked for liquidation. In fact, efforts to forewarn him was made a month back however the victim expressed confidence on his safety and security.
Colaha was killed on board a passenger jeepney heading towards Barangay Kipot. He was seated on the front beside an in-law who was also a fellow barangay official. AFP reports said the victim's companion was threatened at gunpoint while the other shooter then fired twice at Colaha, the fatal shot made on the head.
"These are criminals, communist terrorists who are out to threaten the community especially those who do not want to espouse their beliefs and fights back the harassments they are doing," Captain Marquez ended. "We are here to protect the community. Together let us not allow these terrorists to cause further harassments."
Meanwhile, the police has yet to confirm if indeed the suspects in the killing of Colaha are members of New People's Army. The CPP-NPA also has yet to issue a statement claiming responsibility to the killing.