BACOLOD CITY, Jan 10 (PNA) — A suspected leader of the New People’s Army (NPA) in Negros Occidental was arrested by joint police and military personnel in a checkpoint operation Friday night in Barangay Punao, San Carlos City, the military said Saturday afternoon.
The Philippine Army identified the suspect as Rogelio Posadas, who was intercepted along the highway near Hacienda Socorro at around 10 p.m.
Posadas has a warrant of arrest for murder issued by Judge Renato Muñez of the Regional Trial Court Branch 60 in Cadiz City.
He is facing charges for the death of First Lt. Archie Polenzo, company commander of 62nd Infantry Battalion, whose troop engaged in an encounter with Posadas’ group in Barangay Caduhaan, Cadiz City in March 9, 2010.
Posadas, who uses the alias Poten/Isko, is known as the secretary of the North Negros Front, Kometing Rehiyonal-Negros (NNF, KR-N) and National Democractic Front-Negros spokesman, the military said.
He is detained at Cadiz Police Station as of Saturday afternoon.
The arrest of Posadas was conducted by personnel of the Special Operations Group of Negros Occidental Provincial Police Office and the San Carlos City Police with assistance from Philippine Army troopers.
“The Army’s involvement in the arrest is part of its mandate to support law enforcement by the Philippine National Police in order to maintain peace and security in the locality which is consistent with the guidelines provided in the suspension of offensive military operations,” said Maj. Gen. Rey Leonardo Guerrero, commander of the Army’s 3rd Infantry Division.
Between January and February last year, military and police teams also arrested Biboy Espinas, suspected member of the KR-Negros Finance Bureau and former spokesman of the Northern Negros Front, also known as the Jean Pelle Command, and Romulo Bitoon, alleged by the military as the secretary of the Regional Unified White Area Committee of KR-Negros.
Both Espinas and Bitoon are also charged for the murder of Polenzo,(PNA)