CATBALOGAN CITY- A soldier, riding on his motorcycle, was shot dead in Catbalogan City on March 30 with authorities have yet to establish who could be the suspects.
Killed was Sgt. Romeo Tan who was the detachment commander of the 52nd Infantry Battalion based in Talalora, Samar. Tan was on his way to the nearby town of San Jorge town to visit his family when he was flagged down and shot at close range by still unidentified suspects in Barangay Mahayag,Catbalogan, said Captain Andrew Linao, assistant public affairs chief of the 8th Infantry Division. Several empty shells of Caliber 45 were recovered from the scene of the crime. Tan died on the spot.
Tan was said to be active in his peace and development works among villages in some rebel infiltrated communities in Samar. Both the police and military are now conducting an investigation in order to establish motives of the killing and his perpetrators. The incident took place happened a day after the 46th founding anniversary of the New People’s Army last March 29, 2015. Soldiers in the region were warned by their superiors about the shoot-to-kill (STK) order by the NPA and to remain vigilant against the armed group’s planned attacks against “soft targets” such as unarmed soldiers.
Reportedly, the STK list was recovered in some encounters in Samar areas. And the list includes names of active soldiers, policemen and civilians who are accused as military informants. Last year, five soldiers were killed due to “liquidation” mission by the NPA while two others were abducted.
For this year, one soldier was killed.
(JAZMIN BONIFACIO)
