NPA members kill CAFGU member in Negros Oriental ambush

A member of the Philippine Army's Citizen Armed Force Geographical Unit (CAFGU) was shot dead after he was ambushed by suspected New People's Army (NPA) rebels Saturday in Santa Catalina, Negros Oriental.

The victim was identified as Bobby Sarino, 46, a member of the CAFGU's Cogon Patrol Base in southern Negros Oriental.

The Santa Catalina Police said Sarino was on his way home in Sitio Bacnet in Barangay Nagbinlod at around 6 a.m. when he was waylaid by four suspected NPA members.

Police Officer 1 Elizer Enrique said Sarino was died due to six gunshot wounds in the head and body.

Meanwhile, Sarino's fellow CAFGU members and troops from the Army's 15th Infantry Battalion clashed with at least 30 NPA members while pursuing his attackers at around 1 p.m.

Lieutenant Colonel Patricio Tomales, commanding officer of the 15th Infantry Battalion, told GMA News Online in a phone interview that the some minors and two women were among the NPA members encountered by the troops.

The clash lasted for at least 20 minutes.

The ambush happened as peace talks between the Philippine government and the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) were set to resume.

Due to the strong presence of NPA rebels in the province, Police Regional Office-7 (PRO-7) director Chief Superintendent Robert Quenery has named Negros Oriental a "priority province" for the May 14 Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections.

The PRO-7 will closely monitor Negros Oriental next month, as it is only the province in Central Visayas with many recent insurgency-related incidents, Negros Oriental Police chief Senior Superintendent Edwin Portento previously told reporters.

Santa Catalina has some barangays initially listed as poll hot spots. The number of poll hot spots in the province range from 62 to 79. —ALG, GMA News