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[av_heading heading=’WAS IT REALLY NPA? CHR probes Siaton militiaman’s death ‘ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=’30’ subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=” av-medium-font-size-title=” av-small-font-size-title=” av-mini-font-size-title=” av-medium-font-size=” av-small-font-size=” av-mini-font-size=” admin_preview_bg=”][/av_heading]
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Sunday, November 19, 2017
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BACOLOD City – Was the New People’s Army (NPA) really responsible for the death of a Special Civilian Armed Auxiliary member in Siaton, Negros Oriental? The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) may soon have the answer.
CHR provincial chief Jesse Cañete said they are looking into the death of the 52-year-old Gelino Vailoces, a member of the SCAA under the 12th Civilian Armed Forces Geographical Unit of the Philippine Army’s 79th Infantry Battalion.
Vailoces died after at least seven suspected NPA rebels abducted and shot him around 6 a.m. on Nov. 13 when he was pasturing their cow and carabao in Barangay Mantiquil, wife Marialita told the CHR.
Police initially reported that around 30 armed men fetched Vailoces from his house on the same day.
Marialita and her two daughters went to the CHR field office in Negros Oriental on Thursday to seek help in finding justice in the death of Vailoces.
She further told the CHR that the armed men took their cellphones and sling bags containing P9,032 and P82.
Marialita said the armed men ordered her to jump off their house. She followed.
The armed men then went upstairs and took Vailoces’ .38-caliber gun.
At around 8 a.m., Marialita said she heard gunshots.
Before the armed men left, Marialita said she was told to “disappear for three years” or else, she will also be killed.
Marialita fled to Sitio Avocado, Barangay Talalak in the nearby town of Santa Catalinoa, Negros Occidental.
Another SCAA member – Antonio Fabillar – discovered Vailoces’ body with gunshot wounds on the right knee and the head.
Other responding SCAA members found near Vailoces’ body a statement claiming that the Rachelle Mae Palang Command of the NPA was responsible for the killing.
The unsigned and undated statement claimed that Vailoces was executed for his active involvement in intelligence gathering against the NPA.
But Cañete said this must be validated. He added that the NPA has yet to issue a public pronouncement that they killed Vailoces.
The CHR cannot yet file complaints pending the validation, Cañete stressed.
CHR’s investigation will focus on three things: the identification of the killers, confirmation from the NPA and whether or not Vailoces’ death was a violation of the International Humanitarian Law him being an SCAA member.
“I need the cooperation of everybody to come out with a fair and objective investigation result,” Cañete said.
Vailoces – who had been an SCAA member for five years – has 10 children, with a three years old being the youngest. Marialita said her husband did not have known enemies when he was alive. (PNA/PN)
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