Army battalion digs up remains of NPA salvaging victim in Pangasinan
Caraballo Mountain Ranges (24 January) -- After three separate attempts following tips given by former NPA regulars, soldiers belonging to the 71st Infantry Battalion, finally found and exhumed Monday the remains of communist summary execution victim PNP Retired SPO4 Esteban Bravo who was formerly with the intelligence division of Police Regional Office 3 based in San Fernando, Pampanga.
According to LTC Gregory M Cayetano of 71-IB PA, the remains were located in a shalow unmarked grave southeast of and near the peak of Mount Baldos at Bgy Maseil-seil of Umingan in Pangasinan by the soldiers under 2Lt Abelardo Silva who were led to the grave site by two rebel returness.
It can be recalled that Bravo was abducted by the armed rebels belonging to the former Sandatahang Yunit Pampropaganda (SYP) Pangasinan and Sentro de Grabidad (SDG) Lupao - Umingan both of front 2, Nueva Ecija party committee (NEPCOM) of the NPA last February 3, 2005 at Sitio Saranay at Brgy Baloc of Sto Domingo, Nueva Ecija. The rebels held Bravo allegedly responsible for the intelligence efforts that, at one instance, led to the capture of one local rebel identified only as "Berong" by 71IB elements at Bgy Arimal in Lupao, Nueva Ecija sometime 2001. It was reported that Berong was able to post and eventually jumped bail. Three days after the abduction, Bravo was killed after intense interrogation at the rebel mountain lair.
Ltc Gregory Cayetano, 71IB battalion commander said the rebel returnees point to Berong, who had an ax to grind against Bravo for his capture, as the one fittingly chosen by the local NPA key rebel leaders Leopoldo Caluza alias Ino and Ely Taray Agmaliw alias Omeng to carry out the execution with three others. Caluza was recently captured by the local PNP in Baguio City December last year.
Ealier, the rebel returnees turned themselves in to Delta company commander 2Lt Rosel Cabarliza of the same battalion and revealed the place where Bravo was murdered and buried. The remains were brought to the 307th Police Mobile Group (PMG) headquarters in Guimba, Nueva Ecija. It was presented by soldiers and PNP elements led by Cabarliza and 307 PMG Group Director PSUPT Arnel Libed, respectively, to Bravo's wife Liza and two sons who came all the way from Manila. Liza confirmed the remains to be that of the victim's through an old fracture at the right ankle caused by a motorcycle accident. Further conclusive identity verification on Bravo will be done by the PNP. (PA/PIA) [top]
