Firearms, ammo seized; suspected rebels arrested

DUMAGUETE CITY, Philippines – Two alleged members of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) were arrested late Monday and a cache of high-powered firearms and ammunition seized in a joint raid by military and police operatives in the hinterland village of Lag-it in Tayasan town of Negros Oriental.

Superintendent Reynold Andot, chief of the PNP’s Provincial Intelligence Bureau, identified the suspects as Edwin Deguit and Albert Romano of Bindoy, Negros Oriental. They were reportedly workers-watchmen of a cattle farm in Lag-it owned by a certain lawyer.

Armed with a search warrant issued last May 25 by Judge Candelario Gonzales of RTC Branch 45 in Bais City, Negros Oriental, the raiding team swooped down on a “bunkhouse” inside the farm in Lag-it at around 5:30 p.m. Monday, said Andot.

Andot said the search yielded two M-16 armalite rifles with six magazines and 75 rounds of live ammunition, two 12-gauge shotguns with nine rounds of live ammunition, three .38-caliber revolvers with five rounds of live ammunition, and two rifle grenades. The two suspects were under close surveillance for several months now prior to Monday’s raid and their arrest, he said. Proper charges are now being readied against the suspects who are now in police custody at the PNP provincial headquarters at Camp Fernandez in Agan-an, Sibulan town. - THE FREEMAN