Lady tagged as ‘rebel leader nabbed at Hall of Justice

By Jennifer P. Rendon

A woman accused as an alleged officer of the New People’s Army (NPA) was arrested following her court appearance at the Ramon Avanceña Hall of Justice at Bonifacio Drive, City Proper district afternoon of Dec. 19.

Filomena Asuncion Mamon, 34, of Barangay Buyuan, Tigbauan, Iloilo, was handcuffed as she was about to leave the building.

Different police and military units from Tapaz Municipal Police Station and personnel from Regional Intelligence Division (RID) 6, Capiz Police Provincial Office-Provincial Intelligence Unit (CPPO-PIU), Iloilo City Police Office-City Intelligence Unit (ICPO-CIU), Jamindan MPS, Regional Investigation and Detective Management Division, Regional Mobile Force Battalion (RFMB) 6’s 602nd Company, Philippine Army and the Military Intelligence Group (MIG) 6 led the operation.

An arrest warrant for violations of the Section 4(A), Sec. 4(B) and Sec. 4 (B) (1) of Republic Act 11479 (Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020) docketed as docketed under Criminal Case Nos. C-22-2280-02, C-22-2281-02, and C-22-2282-02 was served against Mamon.

Judge Judith D. Orendain-Tonogbanua of the 6th Regional Trial Court Branch 20 in Mambusao, Capiz issued the arrest warrant on Feb. 14, 2022.

No bail was recommended for the violation of Sections 4 (A) and 4 (B) (1) RA 11479, while a P120,000 bail bond was set for Sec. 4 (B)(1) of RA 11479.

Mamon was not specifically named in the arrest warrant but a witness claimed that she is the alias Sherra who was identified as one of the 12 accused.

Mamon was first arrested on Dec. 7 at her house in Tigbauan, Iloilo. At that time, she was accused of harboring his live-in partner, also an alleged NPA member, who’s been a fugitive of the law.

Niel Calupez, who goes by the aliases Mig, Joan and Ron-Ron, is facing charges for attempted murder, double destructive arson, multiple attempted murder and Direct  Assault with Attempted Homicide.

Aside from Mamon, her elderly parents Fe Esperanza Caridad Mamon, 70, and Manuel Mamon, Jr., 74, were also arrested for allegedly violating Section 12 of RA 11479.

Section 12 is about “Providing Material Support to Terrorists.“

Major Jhon Almarino Bonior, Tapaz police chief, said they were released and were made to appear on Dec. 19 for a preliminary investigation.

But a witness, who is a former rebel, asserted that Sherra, the one accused in Capiz, and Mamon are the same person.

“That’s why, we moved for her arrest,” Bonior said.

In a statement, the Police Regional Office (PRO) 6 said that “the suspect was ordered to be released by an official of Iloilo Prosecutors Office for some questionable reasons.”

“PRO6 shall first seek guidance from higher headquarters before filing of appropriate cases against those who are alleged to have committed lapses in ordering the release of the  said communist-terrorist group member.”

Meanwhile, Brigadier General Sidney Villaflor, Western Visayas police chief, has lauded the operating units for this high-impact accomplishment on internal security operations following Mamon’s “re-capture, which “is a clear testament of the zealousness of the law enforcers in ending the insurgency problem in the region.”