MANILA BULLETIN

ARMY CONFIRMS CLASH WITH NPA IN BOHOL

By Dave Albarado, May 16, 2018

Tagbilaran City— Local military leaders confirmed that the armed group that clashed on
Tuesday with Army soldiers in a town in Bohol are guerrillas from the New People’s
Army (NPA).

Despite the clash, Bohol remains insurgency-free, said Col. Ignacio Madriaga,
commanding officer of the 302nd Infantry Battalion.

The NPA group was allegedly led by certain Domingo Compoc, a known leader of the
communist rebels in the area, Madriaga said.

Compoc’s group is known to maintain a presence in the area where the encounter
happened.

He is reportedly a native of Barangay Dagohoy in Bilar town.

Compoc is a wanted man, with arrest warrants for various charges, Madriaga said.

Several citizens reported sighting Compoc and his men in the rural areas of Bilar town
days before the town fiesta on Tuesday.

The Army sent troops to Bilar to check out the report.

The soldiers and the rebels exchanged fire for about an hour in Sitio Ilaud, Barangay
Campagao. Madriaga said.

Compoc thought he had the support of the community, but it was the residents who
reported his presence to the authorities, he said.

The people’s support is critical in keeping Bohol insurgency-free, Madriaga said.

He estimated the NPA group to have at least 15 men.

ABS-CBN NEWS

2 SOLDIERS HURT IN CLASH WITH NPA IN BOHOL

By Annie Fe Perez, May 15, 2018

MANILA - Two soldiers were hurt in an encounter with the New People's Army on
Tuesday in Sitio Ilaud, Barangay Campagao, Bilar.

The unnamed soldiers were immediately given medical attention, according to Lt. Col.
Joel Malig, commanding officer of the 47th Infantry Battalion.

Malig said the encounter happened at 5 am. The soldiers recovered various
ammunition, firearms, documents and some hammocks left behind by the rebels.

Residents were celebrating their fiesta in honor of San Isidro Labrador when they heard
gunshots.

Around 100 residents temporarily stayed at the Zamora Elementary School.

Atty. Eliseo Labaria of the Commission on Elections Bohol said the incident was not
election related, and the barangay is not even identified as a hotspot.

Senior Inspector Rufo Potane of the Bohol Provincial Police Office said the province
remains safe for tourists.
PHILSTAR

POLICE ON RECENT NEGROS ORIENTAL KILLINGS: ONLY 5 WERE

KILLED BY NPAS
By Iris Hazel Mascardo, July 29, 2019

CEBU, Philippines — Just five out of 16 people killed in a spate of violence in Negros
Oriental recently were confirmed killed by members of the New People’s Army.

This according to Police Regional Office-7 director, Police Brigadier General Debold
Sinas, who held a press conference together with Negros Oriental chiefs of police.

Despite the speculations circulating around the region that all the killings were done by
the NPAs, the police laid down all the different motives behind all the murders.

They said they confirmed the NPA was behind the killings of Weny Alegre and Felimon
Janayan who were shot in Zamboaguita last July 24, Buenavista Barangay Captain
Romeo Alipan who was shot last July 25 in Guihulngan, and Marlon Ocampo and one-
year-old Marjun Ocampo who were shot dead in Sta. Catalina on the same day.

Their investigation revealed that the other killings involved land conflicts, specifically the
cases of siblings Arthur and Ardale Bayawa who were dead last July 25 and Atty.
Anthony Trinidad who was shot last July 23. Trinidad allegedly handled the sibling's
case involving a land dispute.

However, another motive that the police are investigating was the alleged
mismanagement of the school handled by Arthur, who is a high school principal.

As for the murders of the government officials, police said they are now investigating
angles like politics and business. Aside from that, the police confirmed they have a list
of persons of interest related to some of the killings, but chose to not disclose it for
investigation purposes.

Sinas confirmed that Negros Oriental is not on full alert but on heightened alert, which
means intensified patrols in areas where the killings happened.

In answer to speculations that martial law will be declared in Negros, Sinas said the
declaration of martial law is not for the PNP to decide.

While the press conference was going in, another shooting incident was reported in
Barangay Bukalan, Canlaon City, making it the seventeenth recent killing. The victim
was identified as a certain Anaciansano Rosalita, who was shot by an unidentified
suspect.

Sinas said people must not jump to any conclusions until the police confirm with their
thorough investigation and evidence.
CNN PHILIPPINES

4 COPS KILLED BY NPA REBELS IN NEGROS ORIENTAL – PNP

Jul 19, 2019

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 19) — Four police officers were killed by armed
communist rebels in an ambush in Negros Oriental on Thursday, the Philippine National
Police (PNP) said Friday.

The PNP in a statement said members of the New People's Army (NPA) attacked the
police at Sitio Yamot, Barangay Mabato in Ayungon town at around 2:30 p.m. on
Thursday. The victims were identified as PCpl. Relebert Beronio, Pat. Raffy Callo, Pat.
Roel Cabellon, and Pat. Marquino de Leon.

"Still not satisfied with the blood of their prey, the terrorists also looted the dead of their
firearms, valuables and personal belongings, and drove off with the victims’
motorcycles," the PNP said. The NPA, armed wing of the Communist Party of the
Philippines (CPP), is being tagged by the government as terrorists but the motion to
formalize it is pending before the court.

The PNP said pursuit operations are ongoing against the NPA rebels in Negros
Oriental.

"We assure the bereaved families of all available assistance that government can
extend if only to ease their suffering over this tragic loss," the PNP said as it expressed
its condolences to the victims' loved ones.

The PNP said the latest attack shows the rebels' lack of sincerity in talking peace with
the government.

President Rodrigo Duterte walked away from on-off peace negotiations with the rebels
in November 2017 as both sides accused each other of ceasefire violations.

The talks were supposed to resume in June 2018, but Duterte had it postponed for a
supposed review of all previous agreements with the rebels. The administration has
since pushed for a policy whereby local government officials will talk peace with rebels,
an idea that the CPP has repeatedly rejected.

The PNP on Friday called on NPA rebels to participate in localized peace talks and
leave the CPP, the largest communist organization in the country which has waged a
five-decade insurgency. The government has offered houses and livelihood assistance
to surrenderees.