Four suspected rebel leaders fall

By Glazyl Y. Masculino

 

BACOLOD City – Four alleged high-ranking officials of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) were arrested at Sitio Mamposo, Barangay Magballo, Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental last Friday.

Personnel of the Army’s 15th Infantry Battalion (IB) and Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office (Nocppo), arrested Emmylo Cañares, 38, South Poblacion, San Fernando, Cebu; George Buga-ay, 42, Relyn Moreno, 22, both residents of Barangay Orong; and Raffy Patajo, 21, of Barangay Pinggot, Ilog town.

According to the Army, Cañares was a former finance officer of Bohol Party Committee, and the current secretary of the Second National Urban Center Party Committee (2NUCPC).

Buga-ay was a former squad leader and finance logistics officer of the Regional Strike Forces (RSF) of Kilusang Rehiyon Negros (KR-N), a former secretary-general of PAMALAKAYA Negros, and Regional Communication (RCOM) staff of KR-N.

Moreno is currently the Regional Communication (RCOM) staff of KR-N, and Patajo was a former Squad Finance Logistic Officer (FLO) of Platoon 3 and squad leader of Platoon 2, South West Front, KR-N and a Regional Communication staff of KR-N, the Army claimed.

Authorities recovered from the four a .45 caliber pistol, a .38 caliber revolver loaded with five ammunition, four hand grenades, P119,354 cash, cellular phones, flash drives, alleged subversive documents, and other personal belongings.

Major Cenon Pancito III, spokesperson of Army’s 3rd Infantry Division (ID), said the apprehension was a product of a joint intelligence operation, following the encounter between the government forces and the rebels at Barangay Pinggot on July 8.

Lieutenant Colonel Erwin Cariño, 15th IB commander, said the arrest is a major setback to the CPP-NPA-National Democratic Front (NDF) operating in the area of Negros island, and a victory of the government’s anti-terrorism drive.

Cariño said that there will be more similar operations in the island in coordination with the police. With the active help of the local populace, the CPP-NPA will be suppressed and defeated, he added.

Meanwhile, Colonel Noel Baluyan, commander of the 302nd Infantry Brigade (IBde) lauded the composite elements of the government forces for their joint efforts in the anti-insurgency operation.

 

DENIAL

Ka Juanito Magbanua, regional spokesperson of Apolinario Gatmaitan Command of NPA in Negros Island, released an official statement on Sunday, denying the allegations of the Army that the four arrested individuals were high-ranking officials of the CPP-NPA.

“Emmylo Cañares, George Buga-ay, Relyn Moreno, and Raffy Patajo are not high-ranking officials. They are not even members of the NPA,” Magbanua said in a statement.

Magbanua said the four are “victims of the US-Duterte regime’s intensifying state terrorism, targeting innocent civilians to label as top brass for bounty to corrupt and to try and demoralize the revolutionary movement.”

The group said NPA-Negros remains to operate in five guerrilla fronts in Negros island.

In response, Pancito said that there is nothing new to the words of Magbanua.

“The case has already been forwarded to the proper forum, we advise the NPAs and their allies to do better in the legal battle rather than wasting efforts in distorting facts,” he added.

Though not related to the arrest, Pancito said that they request the NPAs “to pull the best of their lawyers as a separate case of murder was discovered against one of the four arrested rebels.”