By SHEILA MAE BUTLIG,
Correspondent
MAOIST guerrillas under the Mt. Kitanglad Sub-Regional Operational Command of the Julito Tiro Command cried foul for being implicated in the killing of two Talaandig brothers in Lilingayon town, Valencia City.
In a statement sent to Gold Star Daily, Mamerto Bagani, spokesman of the Mt. Kitanglad Sub –Regional Operational Command, said that an unintentional armed clash occured last September 13, 20015 between a New People’s Army team under the Mt. Kitanglad Subegional Operational Command and the two Licanay brothers Roy and Reymund Licanay, who are both members of Bolo Batallion in Sitio Tandacul, Brgy. Lilingayon, Valencia City.
The two died in an “unintentional encounter,” the NPA’s statement reads.
Based on the reports, both victims was found dead at Sitio Tandakol who sustained injuries. Roy had a gunshot wound in his stomach while Reymund had five gunshot wounds. They found the younger (Rey-mund) Licanay with his pants removed and his hands posed grasping his privates.
However, the NPA team’s report show they met the brothers in the forested portion above Tandakol-Mintolod at around 8 am. After they crossed paths and from a few steps after they moved to opposite directions, the Bolo Batallion members (Licanay brothers) fired their short firearm.
The NPA team immediately returned fire. Adding that contrary to media statements of Junie Licanay, the father of the two slained indigenes, they had not suffered laceration and were not stripped of their clothes.
For according to the NPA they strictly adhere to the international rules of war and the Comprehensive Agreement On Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law (Carhrihl) which they have proven for a long time now.
It is not surprising that the father of the two slain tribal combatants would malign the NPA because it is public knowledge among the locals that he has been serving as an agent for the 8th Infantry Battalion.
The accusation, the NPA spokesman explained, is the military’s attempt to cover up the massacre of the families of Samia and Somina in Mendis, Pangan-tucan last August 18.
“Until now, the families of the massacre victims continues to demand justice and has been waiting for the result of the Congressional Inquiry and filing of criminal charges,” the Maoist guerilla said in the statement.
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