Bodies of Bantay party-list members from Davao found

BUTUAN CITY — Two Bantay party-list members abducted by suspected New People’s Army rebels last March 24 in the Davao region were separately found dead last Saturday. The Regional Police Office of Region 11 identified the victims as Ronald “Unad" Miranda, who was found dead in the Island Garden City of Samal, while former Barangay Kagawad Juliana "Huling" Noquera’s body was found in Santa Maria, Davao del Sur. Police said the Bantay party-list campaigners had been abducted by armed men on board a pick-up bearing plate number LEX 714 that was headed towards Bukidnon province. The two were residents of the village of Domingga, Calinan in Davao City. The New People’s Army operating in Region 11 earlier denied kidnapping the two. Bantay party-list is headed by Rep. Jovito Palparan, a former Army general who is now running for senator and promoting his anti-communist and anti-insurgency agenda. The decomposing bodies of the victims were identified by close relatives. Noquera’s daughter claimed her mother had been receiving death threats since February. Calinan district Police Chief Supt. Leonor Rivera said the plate number LEX 714 had been stolen from a Kia Vista vehicle. Police were still investigating the incident. — Ben Serrano/NPA, GMANews.TV