NEW People’s Army rebels shot and killed an off-duty government militiaman in front of his wife in Valencia City in Bukidnon last Sunday, a military commander in the province reported yesterday.
Brig. Gen. Edgardo De Leon, commander of the Army’s 403rd Brigade based in Malaybay City, Bukidnon, identified the victim as Pablo Omblero, assigned with the Lumbayao Patrol Base in Valencia City.
Citing a belated report, De Leon said seven rebels swooped down at Omblero’s residence in Purok 18 in Barangay Batangan and seized him. De Leon said Omblero, who was off-duty, was with his live-in partner, Elizabeth Dela Torre, at that time.
De Leon said Omblero begged for his life but was ignored by the rebels, who shot him in the face and in the abdomen. He was declared on arrival at the Adventist Medical Center in Valencia City.
“The NPA should have respected his rights enshrined by the IHL (International Humanitarian Law) as he can no longer be considered combatant because he was already captured, disarmed, and therefore has no capacity to fight the armed NPA,” said De Leon.