15 December 2007
LEGAZPI CITY—CALLING IT THE SERVING of “revolutionary justice,” the New People’s Army in Bicol on Friday claimed responsibility for the killing Wednesday in Ligao City of the bodyguard of a former Albay governor.
The victim, identified by police as Expedito Ribaya, was driving a pick-up truck and was on his way home after attending a meeting at the Bahamas Irrigators Association, of which he was president, when he was shot several times in the body.
Florante Orobia, spokesperson of the NPA in Albay, said Ribaya was one of those behind the murder of Bayan Muna provincial coordinator Rodolfo Alvarado last year.
He said Ribaya was killed in an “arrest” operation conducted by guerrillas Dec. 12.
In an e-mail press statement, Orobia said Ribaya was supposed to face trial after his arrest but since he was heavily armed, the team of rebels decided to shoot him.
Orobia said a “deep investigation” conducted by the NPA’s Santos Binamera Command proved that Ribaya directly conspired with military death squads in killing Alvarado, who was a Bayan Muna party-list nominee.
He said Ribaya served as a lookout.
Alvarado, 53, was shot by a lone gunman aboard a motorcycle on New Year’s Eve last year.
Orobia said while Ribaya was one of the bodyguards of former Albay Gov. Fernando Gonzalez, he was also an active military agent.
Along with Southern Tagalog and Central Luzon, the Bicol Region is one of the areas in the country with the most extrajudicial killings from the time President Macapagal-Arroyo assumed office in 2001. Ephraim Aguilar, Inquirer Southern Luzon
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