BACOLOD CITY, Philippines — The bounty being offered for the arrest of a New People’s Army (NPA) leader operating in northern Negros has increased from P100,000 to P300,000.
An unidentified donor pledged P200,000 yesterday for the arrest of Arnel Tapang following the killing of Benjamin Javoc, chairman of Barangay Lalong in Calatrava, Negros Occidental, Lt. Col J-Jay Javines, 79th Infantry Battalion commander, said.
He said the family of Javoc is also determined to press charges against Tapang, leader of the remnants of the dismantled Northern Negros Front.
In Leyte, a suspect in the killing of Joel Riños, chairman of Barangay Inayupan in Javier town, was arrested in Tacloban City on Monday.
Alexandro Calda, 33, is said to be an Army sergeant assigned at the 63rd Infantry Battalion in Basey, Samar.
Witnesses identified Calda, who was also caught in a footage of a closed-circuit television camera at the scene, as the gunman.