Over killing of 4 Negros cops: 3 ‘NPA rebels’ fall

CEBU, Philippines — Three alleged members of the CPP-NPA believed to be behind the killing of four policemen in Ayungon town in Negros Oriental in July 2019 were arrested in a joint operation of the police and the military.

The three include a father and his two sons.

The first person arrested was Jelly Anadon Ebedo on February 18, 2020 in Murcia, Negros Occidental. His arrest led to a follow-up operation in Barangay Singcang in Bacolod City on February 20, which led to the arrest of his brother, Gellie.

Late afternoon the following day, their father, Belly, was arrested in Sitio Biasong, Barangay Tayak in the town of Siaton.

Authorities arrested the three by virtue of a warrant issued by Judge Rosario Carriaga of Branch 75 of the Regional Trial Court in Bais City, Negros Oriental.

The arrest of the three puts to seven the number of suspects arrested for the killing of Police Corporal Relebert Beronio, Patrolman Raffy Callao, Patrolman Roel Cabellon, and Patrolman Marquino De Leon.

The cops were found dead after they were allegedly mauled and shot by suspected members of the NPA on July 18, 2019.

The four police officers were verifying intelligence reports about the presence of NPA rebels in the area. They were on board two motorcycles on their way to the house of their contact in the area when waylaid and fired upon by the suspected rebels.

The suspects carted away the cops’ service firearms. Authorities were also unable to recover the motorcycles the victims used.

The Ebedos were among the suspects, around 30 of them, mentioned in previous reports. They are also among 10 suspects identified to be facing murder charges.

Police Regional Office - 7 Director Albert Ignatius Ferro said they traced the suspects based on accounts of a witness and information from the community.

The Ebedos reportedly served as triggermen. Prior to the killing, they reportedly worked as construction workers.

“Talagang they were full members of NPA… talagang they were there to humiliate our police force and to do a public execution (They were full members of the NPA… they were there to humiliate our police force and do a public execution),” Ferro.

“They were disarmed, they were tortured before they did their final execution,” he said of the slain policemen, adding, the execution was “barbaric and a transgression of the basic right of every individual.”

Earlier, President Rodrigo Duterte placed a P7 million bounty for the arrest of the suspects. The money will go to anyone who can provide the police information about the suspects’ whereabouts but Ferro said it will be awarded to informants only when all suspects are arrested.

With his face hidden, the witness told reporters he identified the Ebedos positively because they are his neighbors in Barangay Mabato in Ayungon town. The Ebedos were allegedly among those who helped attack the cops by kicking them and their motorcycles until they fell to the ground.

The cops went to the area to the house of their contact, a certain Victoriano Anadon, who was identified earlier as a person of interest.

“Naa koy tingog nga nabati nga miingon ug ‘musukol ko.musukol ko’ (I heard someone say, I will fight back, I will fight back),” the witness said.

However, when he heard gunshots, he reportedly ran to his house, which was located just about 30 meters from the crime scene, the witness said.

He said he decided to come out because his conscience could no longer bear the guilt.

Barangay Mabato is a hinterland barangay in Ayungon town, about 84 kilometers from the province's capital of Dumaguete City. The village itself is located near the border between Negros Oriental and Negros Occidental.

Insurgency

Ferro said insurgency is still a problem in some parts of Negros Oriental but the situation is no longer as serious, based on his assessment during an inspection last week.

“Slowly, we can legally stop their atrocities, meaning we are armed with warrant of arrest so we can arrest them and the other efforts of our military and mobile forces will continue in patrolling these areas to stop this armed group,” Ferro said.

“Sana we could ask the community in helping us more ending this insurgency,” he added. (FREEMAN)