Top NPA Couple of Central Negros Front along with their staff falls
GUIHULNGAN CITY, NEGROS ORIENTAL - The Guihulngan City Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (Guihulngan CTF-ELCAC) successfully apprehended two (2) top ranking NPA and their staff in Central Negros through a Joint AFP-PNP Operations on September 20, 2020 at Brgy Buenavista, Guihulngan City, Negros Oriental.
Combined elements of 62nd Infantry (Unifier) Battalion, 3rd Infantry Division, Philippine Army led by Lieutenant Colonel Melvin N Flores, Acting Commanding Officer together with the 33rd Military Intelligence Company, 61st Special Action Company, 6th Special Action Battalion and Guihulngan City PNP under the supervision of P/LTC Bonifacio S Tecson, Chief of Police conducted joint operations to serve warrants of arrest which resulted to the apprehension of the following 9 personalities: (1) NONA ESPINOSA alias Ka Ava/Gelay, Deputy Secretary, CN1, KR-NCBS and Political Instructor, Squad 2, Samahang Yunit Propaganda (SYP) Platoon; (2) ADIDAS ACERO alias Ka Baldo/BJ, SPARU Member; Squad Leader, Squad 2, Sentro de Gravidad (SDG) Platoon; Vice Commanding Officer, Front Organization Command (VCO, FOC), Leonardo Panaligan Command; (3) LEA NILLES alias Ka Susan, member Propaganda Team, Pltn 1, CN1 and Spokesperson of Hustisya Central Negros; (4) XIAN FLORES, member Propaganda Team, Pltn 1, CN1; (5) RODRIGO BENLOT alias Mori, Squad Leader, CN1, KR-NCBS; (6) FELIX POLICHER alias Ka Rusi, Platoon Medical, SDG, CN1, KR-NCBS; (7) ANALYN MATUSADO alias Ka Maynil, member Propaganda Team, Pltn 1, CN1; and the two NPA supporters who harbored them (8) CRISPIN DIANO and (9) JURAVILLA BALOY. Said personalities are now under the custody of Guihulngan City Police Station for proper disposition and inquest proceedings.
Records show that Espinosa has seven (7) standing warrant of arrest for various crimes such as Multiple Murder, Murder and Robbery; Acero has two (2) Criminal Cases; while, Policher has a violation on the Comprehensive Firearms and Regulation Act. The arrested NPA leaders were also involved in the series of atrocities in Central Negros including the ambush of Police Superintendent Arnel Arpon in Brgy Magsaysay, Guihulngan City on July 21, 2017.
Further, the troops also seized the following war materiel under their possession: one (1) Caliber .9mm GLOCK 17 pistol; three (3) Caliber .45mm pistols; one (1) Caliber 357 revolver; (2) hand grenades; forty (40) rds of serviceable cartridge; two (2) pcs mag assy for Cal. 9mm pistol; four (4) pcs mag assy for Cal .45mm pistol; twenty six (26) rds serviceable Ctg, .9mm ball; fifteen (15) rds serviceable Ctg, .45mm ball; assorted dental and medical equipment and subversive documents.
Lieutenant Colonel Flores lauded the effort of Guihulngan CTF-ELCAC and to the residents of Barangay Buenavista for their timely information on the presence of these NPA personalities. “We assured everyone that these personalities will be treated fairly in accordance with the International Humanitarian Law (IHL) and in adherence to Human Rights Law. Espinosa and Matusado will be given immediate medical attention considering their pregnancy. And to the remaining NPAs, I urged you to surrender and avail the Enhances Comprehensive Local Integration Program or E-CLIP as what your comrades have availed. Our government is always ready to help those who will peacefully surrender but, if you choose to push the armed struggle, we have no choice but to enforce the law. The Army and PNP will continue its mandated task to serve the people and find justice to your victims. We will not stop hunting you until we achieve the just and lasting peace here in Central Negros”, he added.
