Court orders arrest of 200 NPA rebels

CATBALOGAN, Samar — The Regional Trial Court Branch 29 here has ordered the different municipal police stations in the province to arrest the 200 members of the New People’s Army (NPA) responsible for the raid of San Jose de Buan town, which resulted in the killing of seven soldiers.

The court issued the warrant of arrest after finding probable cause to issue the same and after finding sufficient evidence against the rebels. The case for robbery with multiple homicide was filed in the court by the Samar Provincial Prosecutor’s Office on Jan. 11. Out of the 200 accused, only 35 were identified. However, all of them are still at large.

The accused, allegedly members of the CPP-NPA-NDF, swooped down at dawn of Feb. 12, last year the patrol base of Alfa Company, 34th Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army stationed at the Babaclayong village, San Jose de Buan. — Ricky Bautista