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PNP chief tells cops: Hunt rebels behind Absalon cousins' deaths

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ABS-CBN News

<p>MANILA— Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Police Gen. Guillermo Eleazar on Thursday told the police&#x27;s regional office in Albay to &quot;hunt down&quot; members of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) tagged in the death of the Absalon cousins in Masbate City, after one suspect was arrested this week. </p><p>In a statement, the police said the suspect arrested on Tuesday is under the custody of the Masbate Police, and allegedly an officer of the Kilusang Larangang Gerilya in the province. </p><p>Local police have also filed murder and frustrated murder complaints against 24 other individuals, &quot;all members of the CPP and the New People&#x27;s Army,&quot; it said.</p><p>“Huwag nating hayaang makalayo pa ang mga ito at tuluyang matakasan ang patung-patong na reklamo na isinampa laban sa kanila. I am directing the local police to intensify their intelligence-gathering operations to immediately locate and arrest the suspects,” the country&#x27;s top cop was quoted as saying. </p><p>(We should not let them get away with this, and they should face justice for a number of complaints they are facing.)</p><p>Football player Kieth Absalon and his cousin Nolven were killed in an IED blast early June while they were biking in Masbate City.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/06/06/21/feu-football-kieth-absalon-passes-away">READ: Up-and-coming footballer Kieth Absalon passes away at 21</a></li></ul><p>The CPP had vowed to have an internal probe over the incident but <a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/06/09/21/under-our-authority-cpp-npa-implies-refusal-in-turning-rebels-behind-absalons-deaths">refused </a>to surrender their members, saying they are under their &quot;authority.&quot; </p><p>This is the reason police are pursuing the suspects, said the PNP chief.</p><p>“Kung ayaw isuko ng CPP-NPA ang mga taong ito, tayo ang gagawa ng paraan para mabigyan ng hustisya ang kanilang mga biktima sa pamamagitan ng agresibong police operations laban sa kanila,” according to Eleazar. </p><p>(If the CPP-NPA refuses to surrender their members to government, the burden falls on us to give justice to what happened to their victims. This is through aggressive police operations against them)</p><p>Keith, 21, and his cousin, a father of 4, were <a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/06/13/21/kieth-absalon-nolven-buried-masbate">laid to rest</a> in Masbate City on June 13. </p><p>Kieth played for the Malaya Football Club and the Far Eastern University football team.</p><p>He was a standout for FEU&#x27;s boys&#x27; football team, having been named Most Valuable Player of the juniors division in Season 78. He was also a part of the national team that competed in the 2018 AFF Under-19 Championship in Indonesia.</p><p>He was a starter for the FEU men&#x27;s football team in Season 82 before their campaign was curtailed by the COVID-19 pandemic.</p><p>Officials and rights groups condemned the CPP-NPA&#x27;s use of landmines, which they say violates International Humanitarian Law. </p><div><strong>— With a report from Raffy Santos, ABS-CBN News</strong></div><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/06/09/21/surrender-cpp-npa-members-masbate-blast-absalon">DND, DILG urge communists to turn over those responsible for Absalon cousins&#x27; deaths</a></li></ul><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong></div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=1702857" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more in <a href="//www.iwantv.com.ph/">iWantv</a> or <a href="//tfc.tv/">TFC.tv</a></div><div> </div>

<p>Philippines' top cop Gen. Guillermo Eleazar told the police's regional office in Albay to "hunt down" members of the Communist Party of the Philippines, after one suspect was arrested this week. </p>

Philippines' top cop Gen. Guillermo Eleazar told the police's regional office in Albay to "hunt down" members of the Communist Party of the Philippines, after one suspect was arrested this week.