By CESAR JOLITO III

A suspected member of a communist terrorist group who was listed as the No. 5 Regional Most Wanted Person was arrested by police during a manhunt operation in Negros Occidental’s La Carlota City on Wednesday night, May 6.

Police identified the suspect only as 35-year-old alias “Ben-ben,” a resident of Barangay Quintin Remo in Moises Padilla town.

Authorities tagged him as an alleged member of the Yunit Militia under Central Negros 1.

The arrest was carried out by operatives of the Sagay Component City Police Station at 7:29 p.m. in La Carlota’s Barangay San Miguel, by virtue of a warrant of arrest for murder.

According to police, the suspect was allegedly involved in a 2023 shooting incident in Moises Padilla where he and four other alleged accomplices reportedly invited the victim outside his residence under the pretense of talking before shooting him.

The suspect is currently under police custody.

The Police Regional Office in the Negros Island Region said the arrest forms part of intensified anti-criminality and counter-insurgency operations targeting wanted persons and individuals allegedly linked to insurgency-related activities in the region./CJ, WDJ