2 guards charged for blocking NPA guerrilla's arrest

Police arrested Wednesday two security guards of a hospital in Sta. Mesa, Manila for blocking efforts to arrest a female fighter of the New People’s Army (NPA) confined for a gunshot wound in the body.

Joint elements of the Rizal police and the Criminal Investigation and Detective Group (CIDG) filed obstruction of justice charges against Ferdinand Flores, 39, and Adorado Pancha, 59, before the Manila prosecutor’s office.

Senior Superintendent Ireneo Dordas, Rizal police director said Pancha and Flores, both of the Psalm Security Agency, prevented policemen from serving a warrant of arrest for murder, frustrated murder and robbery in band against Cecilia Mondia, 25, who initially identified herself as Myra Bautista.

Dordas said the police team, including doctors and nurses on board an ambulance, rushed to the Lourdes Hospital to take custody of Mondia after learning that the hospital was set to release her after her condition significantly improved.

“When the two security guards stopped us from serving the arrest warrant, what we did was to arrest and file charges against them,” said Dordas in an interview.

Flores and Pancha are currently under the custody of Manila Police District (MPD) director Chief Superintendent Roberto Rosales.

Mondia was one of the seven ranking NPA officials rescued by their comrades from the Quezon provincial jail last Oct. 25. She was brought to the Lourdes Hospital by her cousin, also a fellow escapee.

Senior Superintendent Aaron Fidel Jr., Task Force Montalban chief, said they are still checking whether Mondia was wounded in a clash with soldiers and policemen in Quezon or involved in an ambush in Rodriguez, Rizal last Saturday that left a policeman dead, two others wounded and three police officers taken hostage.

Fidel, concurrent deputy chief for operations of the Calabarzon police, said Mondia has been transferred to the Camp Crame General Hospital.   – Non Alquitran