PNP files complaint vs. RPA-ABB in Janiuay ambush
The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Wednesday filed a formal complaint against members of a breakaway Revolutionary Proletarian Army-Alex Boncayao Brigade (RPA-ABB) before the peace pact monitoring committee for the March 28 killing of a policeman and the wounding of two others in Janiuay town in Iloilo.
In a letter to provincial administrator Manuel Mejorada, chair of the local monitoring committee of the GRP-RPA-ABB Joint Enforcement Committee, Iloilo police chief Senior Supt. Ricardo de la Paz also asked the committee to conduct a formal inquiry on the incident.
The PNP filed the complaint against Bernardo Umayao alias Ka Jack and his group who have been accused of killing PO3 Gildo Sullivan and the wounding of PO3 Francisco Gabiano and PO1 Jonathan Limas, all members of the Janiuay police force.
It also filed criminal complaints for murder, double frustrated murder and attempted murder against Umayao and eleven others.
Umayao's group allegedly fired at the policemen in Barangay Patong-Patong after an argument shortly after the policemen responded to reports that RPA-ABB members had mauled a villager.
RPA-ABB regional commander Demetrio Capilastique, alias Ka Hugo, affiliated with the faction of Nilo de la Cruz, earlier denied that their group was involved in the attack.
He said Umayao was not in the area when the incident happened and claimed that armed groups other than the RPA-ABB are also present in the area.
Capilastique had also assured the government that they continue to support and observe the peace agreement.
The incident has prompted the government to eye the review of its peace pact with the RPA-ABB.
Presidential Assistant for Western Visayas Raul Banias earlier said they could review the agreement's provision allowing the RPA-ABB members to carry firearms.
Under the peace agreement with the government signed on December 2000, 100 leaders and members of the RPA-ABB are allowed to carry short firearms in designated areas.
The alleged RPA-ABB members who attacked the policemen in Barangay Patong-Patong in Janiuay were carrying high-powered firearms.
Mejorada said the five-member local monitoring committee will ask the RPA-ABB to reply to the complaint before conducting its own investigation and recommendations to the Joint Enforcement Committee.
The RPA-ABB broke away from Communist Party of the Philippine-New People's Army-National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF) over ideological differences shortly after 1992.
Last year, the breakaway group was further splintered into two factions, one led by De la Cruz and the other by Negros Occidental-based Stephen Paduano, alias Carapali Lualhati, RPA-ABB national commander and Veronica Tabara, secretary general of its political wing, Rebolusyonaryong Partido ng Manggagawa-Pilipinas (RPM-P).