TINOC, Ifugao – A former punong barangay died after he was allegedly executed by three gun-wielding men believed to be members of the Nona del Rosario command of the New Peoples Army (NPA) right in front of his innocent wife inside his residence at Tukucan, here, recently.
Police authorities identified the fatality as Joseph Calabson, 47, married and former punong barangay of Tukucan, Tinoc, Ifugao who is also a resident of the said place.
Based on the testimony of the victim’s wife, Maya Calabson, the couple just finished having their snack inside their house when 3 armed suspects believed to be members of the NPA Nona del Rosario command operating in the province suddenly barged inside and introduced themselves to the fatality.
After having a conversation with the victim, the suspects took turns in firing at him that caused him to be sprawled bloodied on the pavement while the armed men left the house and fled towards an undisclosed direction.
The suspects even poked their guns to some relatives of the couple who tried to respond to the commotion that transpired in their house that allowed them to flee towards different directions.
The suspects were able to leave behind 4 copies of a letter from the Nona del Rosario command that accused the victim of being a government supporter and an abusive leader which was the root cause of his execution.
His wife was reportedly hit by stray bullets from the firearms of the suspect and was rushed to the Lutheran District hospital in Abatan, Buguias, Benguet where she is now undergoing close medical supervision.
Responding police personnel and elements of the Scene of the Crime Operation team recovered from the crime scene 6 empty shells of a caliber .45 pistol which was used by the suspects in the perpetration of the execution.
The suspects are now the subject of manhunt operation by the police and military personnel assigned in the area.
By Dexter A. See
