The San Joaquin Municipal Police Station in San Joaquin town, Iloilo province. (Photo courtesy of San Joaquin MPS)
ILOILO CITY -- One of the former members of the Rebolusyonaryong Partido ng Manggagawa-Pilipinas-Revolutionary Proletarian Army-Alex Boncayao Brigade (RPA-ABB) was injured after an ambush by alleged members of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) in San Joaquin town, Iloilo province last Jan. 12.
Ramie Cataluna, 34, of Janiuay town, was wounded on the leg after the attack by around seven members of the CPP-NPA led by one Joven Ceralvo, said Capt. Robert Jayson Pancha, officer-in-charge of San Joaquin Municipal Police Station, in a phone interview on Monday.
The victim, along with three other former RPA-ABB members, was walking in Camia village when the incident happened.
“They were 500 meters away (from the rebels) then they were allegedly being shot. After that, the suspects were heard shouting ‘Mabuhay ang NPA’,” Pancha said.
Cataluna was brought to the San Joaquin Mother and Child Hospital for treatment while the suspects fled to the mountainous area of the town.
Pancha said the police could not yet determine whether the shooting was an attack of rebels on former combatants.
“As of now, we are still gathering information,” he said, noting that the police received reports of sightings of rebels last year but these turned out negative when validated.
The rebels will face attempted murder charges, he added.
The former combatants of the RPA-ABB surrendered last Sept. 19 to the military at the Philippine Army’s 3rd Infantry Division (3ID) headquarters at Camp Peralta, Jamindan, Capiz.
The RPA-ABB is a breakaway group of the CPP-NPA. It separated from the rebel group in 1996 due to ideological differences.
President Rodrigo Duterte, who personally witnessed the surrender, has vowed to protect the former combatants from any threats of the communists. (PNA)
