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Public affairs officer Lt. Col. Kurt Decapia said Maj. Gen. Reynaldo B. Mapagu, commanding general of the 10th Infantry Division, ordered Sgt. Henry Bitang and Cpl. Orly Pedrigoza, both assigned with the Military Intelligence Battalion (MIB), restricted inside their camp in Panacan, Davao City.
The two soldiers and two others were named by Pitao, allegedly “ in the absence of evidence,” the 10th ID press statement said.
“We have already conducted our internal investigation and it is still on progress. Their restriction inside the camp premises will make them readily available for investigation by the PNP and other independent body if warranted," Mapagu was quoted in the statement as saying.
Pitao told reporters early this week that "preliminary investigation" by the NPA in Southern Mindanao pointed at Bitang and Pedrigoza as responsible for the brutal murder of Rebelyn whose body was found in Barangay San Isidro, Carmen, Davao del Norte last week.
Aside from Bitang and Pedrigoza, the Communist Party of the Philippines, in its website, also named a certain Sgt. Adan Sulao and Ben Tipait of the AFP's Military Intelligence Group XI as suspects.
The murder of Rebelyn, a substitute teacher, has sparked outrage even among government and military officials.
Mapagu appealed to the public to allow the investigation on the murder to proceed with due process. (Froilan Gallardo / MindaNews)