Top Negros rebels arrested

By Erly C. Garcia

Seven alleged leaders of the New People's Army (NPA) Komiteng Rehiyon Negros (KRN) were arrested by elements of 12th Infantry Batallion, Philippine Army in Barangay Camingawan, Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental Friday last week.

The suspects on board a Toyota Tamaraw FX van were intercepted in a checkpoint set up near the command post of the 12 IB's Alfa Company led by 2nd Lt.Christopher Belardo in response to information given by civilian assets.

Arrested were: Moreto Donisio (Ian), deputy secretary general of the Regional Executive Bureau, Marilou Hiponia (Bekay), Secretary for Regional Peasant Center, Abraham Villanueva (Tikboy), deputy secretary of the Regional Preparatory Committee, Charity Amaca (Che), head of the NPA's Communication Bureau, Dario Dayanan, an organizer of the Teatro Obrero, Rico Absalario, the van's driver and a certain Jeremy Guillergan.

Major Lyndon Sollesta, Public Information Officer of the Army's 3rd Infantry Division, said  a super 38 pistol loaded with ammunitions, computer files and subversive documents were recovered from the arrested persons.

He said the recovered documents contained plans of what resembles as a communications  tower and information about the Army's Gatuslao and Haba detachments in Candoni, Negros Occidental.

Sollesta noted, the said detachments were attacked by the NPAs almost a week ago.

He said, appropriate charges were already filed against the suspects even as he claimed that the capture of the group's top leaders is a big blow to the communist movement.

Meanwhile, militant groups in Negros Occidental condemned the arrest of the suspects, claiming that they are only plain members of the Kilusang Mambubukid ng Pilipinas-Negros and National Federation of Sugar Workers (NFWS).

They said the arrest was a clear manifestation of a creeping martial law, which is now being implemented "silently" by the Arroyo administration.