Another militiaman shot dead by NPA rebs in Bicol

Communist rebels on Sunday shot dead an off-duty militiaman inside his home in Sorsogon province, the second one killed in the Bicol region this month, a military spokesman said. Pedro Rodriguez was executed hours after New People’s Army (NPA) rebels bombed two heavy equipment in Masbate, also in the Bicol region., according to Maj. Harold Cabunoc, spokesman of the 9th Infantry Division. Cabunoc said Rodriguez was shot by two rebels inside his house at Guruvan village in Juban town at about 7:30 a.m. The victim’s cousin, Ronald Rodriguez, was hurt in the attack after a stray bullet hit him in his left leg. Last Feb. 1, the rebels shot dead Elmer Eusebio, also a government militiaman, in front of his family at their residence in Sta. Cruz village in Pandan town, Catanduanes. In Masbate, Cabunoc said at least 10 insurgents bombed a backhoe and a payloader owned by the Gigi Construction Company at the village of Pangiranan in Balud at around 5:45 a.m., also on Sunday. The official said the heavy equipment were being used by the firm in the construction of a road project in the area. He said the attack was prompted by the company’s refusal to give in to the rebels’ extortion demands. “The heavy equipment were rigged with improvised explosive devices and were partially destroyed by the explosion. The owner of the construction firm denied to pay the extortion money demanded by the [rebels]," said Cabunoc. Cabunoc quoted 9th ID chief Maj. Gen. Ruperto Pabustan as urging private contractors to coordinate closely with military authorities in their respective areas to ensure that the development projects would be protected by the military. “This is the only way that we can ensure that flagship projects of the government will be fast tracked for the benefit of the people." Cabunoc quoted Pabustan as saying. Cabunoc denounced the NPAs for its latest attacks, saying the atrocities are intended to sow fear among the people especially businessmen and politicians who are their sources of extortion money. “These bandits are only out for money," he said. - KBK, GMANews.TV