By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

Eleven suspected members of the New People’s Army (NPA) were captured last Monday following a clash in Barangay Quintin Remo, Moises Padilla.

Philippine Army 303rd Infantry Brigade (303IB) commander, Brigadier General Benedict Arevalo, did not identify the suspects but confirmed they were captured by Moises Padilla police who were serving as a blocking force during the battle.

According to the military official, following the encounter at Sitio Santos-santos, which is located in the said barangay, the 11 appeared before the police officers after the Philippine Army conducted a mortar barrage at the encounter site.

Arevalo said law enforcement grew suspicious as the men came from the direction of the encounter site. In addition, their story did not add up as the suspects claimed they were working as sugarcane cutters despite not carrying any such farm tools.

The suspects also gave different names to the police officers, which further aroused suspicions.

The 11 were transported to the Moises Padilla Municipal Police Station for questioning.

One of the suspects was later positively identified by witnesses as the gunman involved in the murder of Moises Padilla Municipal Councilor Jolomar Hilario last Sunday, while the other one was positively identified from the military’s file of suspected rebels.

“[This] group [were among] the gunmen involved in Hilario’s murder and the police have now filed charges against them,” Arevalo said.

Last Monday, soldiers from the Philippine Army 62nd Infantry Battalion engaged in a gun battle with the NPA rebels.

Arevalo believes the rebels involved in the fight were part of the NPA Central Negros Front.

Around 1,700 residents were forced to flee during the battle.

Arevalo added, Hilario’s murder may have been a retaliation after the Armed Forces of the Philippines and Philippine National Police arrested National Democratic Front spokesperson Ka Frank Fernandez last week in Laguna./DGB, WDJ