Calinog couple, NPA sympathizers?
The Garand rifle and improvised
explosives recovered from the house of
the Diaz couple.
Photo courtesy of 3RD CMOU
A couple in Calinog, Iloilo suspected to be sympathizers of the New Peoples Army (NPA) is now facing charges of illegal possession of firearms and explosives after having been caught keeping firearms and explosives allegedly owned by the rebels operating in the central part of Iloilo.
Alberto and Lorena Diaz of Barangay Ulayan, Calinog was brought to the Iloilo Provincial Prosecutor's Office yesterday by the Task Force Panay for the filing of criminal charges against them.
The filing of the case stemmed from the recovery of a garand rifle, two improvised anti-personnel explosives, five-meter detonating cord and an electric firing device from the couple's house around 6 a.m. of July 10, 2006.
The garand rifle was found on the lower portion of their house, hidden near the chicken pen. While, the improvised explosives and paraphernalia were found some 20 meters from the house. The explosives were hidden near a "bolo", a specie of bamboo, neatly covered with banana leaves.
Alberto, 52, when interviewed by the media said the confiscated items were left to them by a certain Ka Tonying sometime in March 2006. He said the NPAs left the items around 10:00 in the evening.
A press release from the Philippine Army Third Civil Military Operations Unit (CMOU) claimed that Ka Tonying, whose real name is Francisco Balois, is a notorious communist terrorist leader operating in Calinog, Iloilo and Tapaz, Capiz.
Alberto said they were warned not to touch or sneak on the items as the group will return to get it. Alberto said he has no idea on what the sack contained.
Prior to the army's operation last July 10, Alberto said they were afraid to report the matter to the police or military since they fear for their lives as the NPA might kill them.
The couple denied being members nor sympathizers of the NPA. Alberto said he is only a farmer and could not even read or write.
The couple has seven siblings, one of whom is already married. Nevertheless, Alberto admitted that he sometimes accommodate NPA members who pass by their house especially in the evening.
But he said they (rebels) commonly leave their place before sunrise.
Major Lyndon Sollesta, Commanding Officer of the CMOU, said the improvised explosives, probably, would be used by the NPA rebels to bomb their targets.
He said the improvised explosives once detonated will create a devastating effect, destroy everything, harm and even kill innocent civilians within reach.
With the recovery the Army believes they have preempted the NPA's planned landmining activity.