Reds tagged in slay of Negros councilor arrested

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines — A New People’s Army (NPA) leader and 13 other communist rebels were arrested in Isabela, Negros Occidental on Monday.

Four of those arrested were identified by witnesses as the perpetrators of the murder of Councilor Jolomar Hilario of Moises Padilla town on Sunday.

Capt. Junji Liba, town police chief, said the suspects were with a group of rebels intercepted by personnel of the 2nd Provincial Mobile Force Company in Barangay Sebucawan.

He said three land mines, including detonating devices, ammunition for an M203 grenade launcher and magazines for an AK47 rifle were among those recovered from the suspects.

Brig. Gen. Benedict Arevalo, 303rd Infantry Brigade commander, said Abraham Villanueva, secretary of the NPA’s Armando Sumayang Command, Rona Magbanua and Jomar Villarojo were apprehended following an encounter in Sitio Amian llawod, Barangay Tampalon, Kabankalan City.

Arevalo said the rebels yielded a .45-caliber pistol, two rifles, ammunition, fragmentation grenades, a laptop and a binocular.

Also in Negros Occidental, NPA guerrillas burned  farm equipment and the bunkhouses of workers at Hacienda Nieva in Barangay Tooy, Himamaylan City.

Four tractors, a 10-wheeler truck and a sugar cane loader owned by Miguel Hinojales were set on fire, Lt. Col. Ervin Glen Provido, city police chief, said.

Police said around 30 communist guerrillas raided the compound.

Bullets and bullet shells for an M16 rifle and two empty gallons of gasoline were recovered at the scene.