Tacloban City (11 October) -- Major General Rodrigo F. Maclang, commanding general of the 8th Infantry Division of the Philippine Army based in Catbalogan, Samar condemned the CPP-NPA's killing of a family in the remote baangay of Mahanod in Matuguinao town on October 7 at the very early hour of 6:00 o'clock in the morning.

General Maclang said that the massacre is a vivid example of how gruesome, violent and ruthless the communist terrorists are. They harm defenseless civilians to sow fear and terror in order to be able to pursue their anti-people and anti-development objectives.

Reports alleged that a band of Communist Terrorists / New People's Army led by Communist Terrorist Leader Artemio De La Cruz Alias ATO massacred the family of Julie De La Cruz and wounded the rest of her family members. The Communist terrorists mercilessly fired their high-powered firearms and hit Julie in the different parts of her body causing her instantaneous death. The wounded were identified as Domingo, Juvic, Johnny and Mylene, all surnamed De La Cruz. They were rushed to the Catbalogan Provincial Hospital for medical treatment.

According to the same sources, the Communist Terrorists were irked by the family De La Cruz for not heeding to their demands of extortion and other illegal activities. Likewise, the victims allegedly openly opposed the Communist Terrorists recruitment of their family to be members of the underground movement.

Major General Maclang called on the civilian populace to cooperate with the Philippine National Police and the Armed Forces of the Philippines by giving testimonies and other valuable information to facilitate the resolution of the case.