Albay soldier slain by NPA rebels

LEGAZPI , Philippines — Suspected  New People’s Army (NPA) rebels shot dead an Army soldier in Daraga, Albay yesterday.

 Pfc. George Rey Murillo, 27, a resident of Barangay Cumadcad, Castilla, Sorsogon, was at a public market in Barangay Anislag when the rebels arrived and shot him in the head at around 6 a.m., Senior Inspector Arthur Gomez, Albay police information officer, said.

Murillo, a member of the Civil Military Operation team of the 901st Infantry Brigade based in Barangay Villahermosa, was alone when he was attacked. 

The NPA guerrillas also reportedly took Murillo’s service firearm and money.

Meanwhile, the NPA in Caraga confirmed the kidnapping of two police officers in Placer, Surigao del Norte on Monday. 

In a statement, a certain Oto of the NPA’s Front Committee 16 said Police Officers 2 John Doverte and Alfredo Degamon are in “safe condition.”

Around 20 communist rebels snatched Doverte and Degamon at a police outpost near a public market in Barangay Bad-as.

Oto said the kidnapping was a punishment to personnel of the Placer police for the killing of a certain Genesis Lebaste, protecting drug traffickers as well as extorting money from small-scale miners and fish vendors in the town.

Surigao del Norte Gov. Sol Matugas met with the families of Doverte and Degamon on Tuesday and gave assurance that the provincial government is doing its best to rescue the police officers.

The crisis management committees of Agusan del Norte and Placer were activated even as a third party team started negotiations for the release of the policemen.