BY GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Police have filed charges for illegal possession of firearms and explosives against a top cadre and two members of the New People’s Army who were captured by government troopers during an encounter on September 14 in Brgy. Tabu, Ilog, Negros Occidental.
PLt. Abegael Donasco, deputy spokesperson of the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office, yesterday said that charges for violation of RA 9516, or unlawful possession of explosives and RA 10591 or the Comprehensive Law on Firearms and Ammunition, were filed against Ronel Bordago and Joebel Mabayag, while a case for violation of RA 9516 was also filed against Nilda Bertulano, secretary of the NPA South West Front.
Donasco said that RA 9516 is a non-bailable case, which means that the accused cannot avail of temporary liberty by posting bail.
The gunbattle on September 14 between government forces and about 20 NPA members also caused the deaths of four rebels, including Christian Vargas, tagged by the military and police as commander of the NPA in southern Negros.
The National Democratic Front- Negros issued a statement demanding that government forces should give the full range of rights based on the Comprehensive Agreement on Respect of Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law to NPA rebels who were either killed, captured or injured in the encounter.
The 10 persons who happened to be at the encounter site and invited for questioning, were later released by the Ilog Police Station after being found out that they had no participation in the encounter.
PCol. Romy Palgue, provincial police director of Negros Occidental, congratulated members of the PNP Special Action Force 15th Infantry Battalion, Regional Mobile Force Battalion 6 and 2nd Negros Occidental Provincial Mobile Force Company for the successful operation of liberating the residents of Sitio Balik-balik, Barangay Tabu, Ilog against NPA terrorism.*
