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ILIGAN CITY (MindaNews / 01 March) — A former member of the New People’s Army (NPA) was shot and killed by armed men believed to be members of the NPA at Sitio Lemon in the hinterland village of Kalingan southwest of Iligan City at 6 p.m on Saturday, the commander of the 4th Mechanized Infantry Battalion said.
Lt. Col. Dominggo Dulay identified the victim as Darwin Saparo, a Higaonon in his early 30s. Saparao hailed from Talakag in Bukidnon and got married in Kalilangan town also in the same province, he said.
Dulay said Sitio Lemon has only 15 households and based on witnesses’ account Saparo visited his mini poultry farm, his means of livelihood after he surrendered to the 51st Infantry Battalion in 2019 and received cash assistance from the government.
“Na tsambahan sa mga armadong rebelde” (He was chanced upon by the rebels), Dulay said.
He said the suspects were four NPA guerrillas from Platoon Uno, Ace Company, Sub Regional Committee 5 of North Central Mindanao Regional Committee.
According to Dulay, Saparo was supposed to undergo an arc welding skills training at the Technical Education Skills Development Authority in Iligan City this month.
He said the Barangay Council of Kalilangan recently declared the Communist Party of the Philippines / NPA as persona non-grata and denounced the presence of terrorist as threat to their peace, security and development initiaties .
He said Saparo had availed of the Expanded Comprehensive Local Integration Program (ECLIP) of the government in January last year. He received a financial assistance of P50,000 from the government. (Richel V. Umel / MindaNews)