Alleged top rebel leader remains elusive

By Jennifer P. Rendon

In terms of bounty, Ma. Concepcion Araneta-Bocala remains the most wanted personality in Western Visayas for the military.

With a bounty of P5.3 million, Araneta-Bocala, who also goes by the aliases Etang, Martha, and Concha, is the alleged secretary general of Komiteng Rehiyon-Panay (KR-P) of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF)

On Thursday, the Philippine Army’s 3rd Infantry Division posted on its Facebook page the list of wanted persons.

The post said, “any information leading to the arrest of these personalities, please contact the nearest PNP or military stations or the Division Public Affairs Office (DPAO) hotline at 0927-6239321 or through its Facebook page – Philippine Army Spearhead Troopers.”

Bocala was charged with rebellion under Criminal Case No. 18652, the report indicated.

In 2022, the Police Regional Office (PRO) 6 also released the names of nine personalities with monetary rewards.

Given the bounty on her head and the death of her husband, Reynaldo Bocala, in a police encounter on May 28, 2021, Concha remains elusive.

Since 2017, police and military operatives have been on active manhunt operations against her.

Numerous operations have also been launched against Concha that went as far as Masbate and other parts of Western Visayas.

But police and military operatives believe that she is still in Panay Island for her to project that she’s still in control.

OTHER WANTED PERSONS

Another person, however, has a bigger reward for his arrest

Roberto Cabales alias Ted/Apid/Ryan/Robert, who was accused of robbery in band with frustrated murder and damage to property, saw the bounty on his head jump to P3.1 million from P150,000.

Cabales, who goes by the aliases Ted, Lloyd, and William, is believed to be the secretary of KR-P’s Central Front.

Meanwhile, Roberto Gomia, the alleged 1st deputy secretary of KR-Panay’s Southern Front, has the same P1.05-million reward for his capture.

Gomia, who is also known in the NPA circle as alias Toto/Miller/Eloy, is accused of destructive arson.

While others saw their bounties increase, Arlo Vargas’s case was different.

The money reward for Vargas, a leader of Squad 1 of the Regional Security Force of NPA’s Komiteng Rehiyon Negros, Cebu, Bohol, Siquijor (KR NCBS), is down to P550,000 from last year’s P1.05 million.

Accused of robbery in band, he also goes by the name Allen.

On the other hand, Severino Geonago’s bounty slightly increased. From P500,000, a bounty of P550,000 is now offered for his arrest.

Geonago, who is also known as Berin, Dario and Tisoy, is an alleged member of the Sibat (SYP) Platoon of the NPA’s KR-P Southern Front. He was accused of robbery with serious physical injury.

Magno Flores, the alleged 1st deputy secretary of CN2-W of KR-NCBS, has the same reward of P550,000.

Flores alias Edgar is wanted for murder.

Further, the reward for Nahum Camariosa alias Bebong remains at P150,000.

Camariosa, the head of SYP Platoon of KR-Panay’s Southern Front, is wanted for multiple murder and frustrated murder;  robbery in band with frustrated homicide and damage to property; and robbery with serious physical injuries.