FOUR suspected New People’s Army assassins, including a woman, gunned down barangay chairman Ildefonso Señora, 47, of Paitan, Escalante City, Negros Occidental, Wednesday, allegedly for his refusal to pay revolutionary taxes and for being a military spy, police said.

Señora’s killing came after the Roselyn "Ka Gene" Pelle Command claimed responsibility for the liquidation of militiaman Edgar Suico in Bug-ang, Toboso last Nov. 1.

Suspected rebels also strafed a remote military outpost Tuesday in Binubuhan, Guihulngan, Negros Oriental, but nobody was injured, military reports said.

Police investigations showed that Señora was shot in the head and different parts of his body, in front of his wife and children by rebels armed with .45 caliber pistols. He was accused of helping in the counter-insurgency operations of the Army in Escalante. He was the sixth barangay captain allegedly killed by rebels since 2004 in Negros.

Army chief Lt. Gen. Victor Ibrado said he is no longer surprised by the increase in tempo of NPA Army atrocities in Negros because of pressure exerted against them by government forces.

In Caraga, Davao Oriental, NPAs took hostage PO3 Eduardo Tumol who is detailed with the 1105th Provincial Mobile Group based in Compostela Valley on Wednesday morning. Tumol was reportedly with Senior Insp. Angel Sumagaysay and PO1 John Anthony Federiso on a Nissan Terrano on their way to a court hearing in Davao City when the NPA led by one Kumander Rex blocked them along the National Highway in Barangay San Antonio.

Upon seeing the rebel checkpoint, Sumagaysay and Federiso jumped off the vehicle leaving Tumol behind. Tumol and the NPAs who captured him left toward Barangay Lamiawan also in Caraga town. – Gilbert Bayoran and Raymond Africa