Without their extensive education and propaganda work, the NPA and its front organizations could neither recruit members nor gain and maintain support locally and abroad. To show that the communist armed struggle in Panay hasn’t lost steam despite the loss of key officers, the NPA has staged several attacks since then. While authorities in Panay scored big against the NPA with the August 15 operation in Antique, the NPA continues to play hide and seek with security forces in Negros. The victim had been assigned at Canlaon City jail since April but had previously worked at the Guihulngan District Jail. The police wanted to pin Sestoso’s murder on alleged NPA leader Rene Bustamante after having failed to have him convicted for the murder of a former NPA supporter and illegal possession of explosives in 2014.

Source: Manila Times September 16, 2018 16:41 UTC