According to Parayno, the female UP student was identified as Josephine Santiago Lapira, 22, from Marikina City. Batangas provincial director, Police Sr. Supt. Alden Delvo, said that she was brought to the nearest hospital but died while being treated. Apparently, Lapira was said to be using Josephine Santiago Lapira as an alias so authorizes won’t find it difficult to trace her.
“Yes, we received information that she (Lapira) was from UP (University of the Philippines). I’m just not sure which (campus),” Delvo said, adding that five out of the 15 slain rebels were women, including Lapira. Meanwhile, a relative of Lapira confirmed that the latter is a student of UP Manila, but did not reveal what course she was taking.
As earlier reported, joint elements of the 730th Combat Group of the Philippine Airforce, Batangas and Nasugbu police encountered the NPA members in Nasugbu on Tuesday evening. This is after they received a call from a concerned citizen that heavily-armed men were spotted at at Sitio Pinamintasan in Barangay Aya, in the said Batangas municipality.
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The rebels, who were onboard a jeepney and a van fired at the government troops upon their arrival on the said area. The battle lasted for about 20 minutes, leaving 5 rebels dead and two others wounded, and two soldiers also wounded. All of them were immediately brought to the hospital, where another NPA member (the UP student) died.
Shortly after, there was a second encounter in Sitio Batulao, Barangay Kaylaway, where 9 NPA members were killed. In a press conference, Calabarzon police director Chief Superintendent Mao Aplasca said that those killed are members of the Eduardo Dagle command, aged 18 to 25, including Lapira and the four other women.
Contributed by Renato Pasayao
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