Army chief in Neg Occ slams NPA for issuing ‘warrant of arrest’

From the Philippine News Agency (Jul 19): Army chief in Neg Occ slams NPA for issuing ‘warrant of arrest’

The chief of the Philippine Army in Negros Occidental assailed the New People’s Army for issuing a so-called warrant of arrest against local officials here who were linked to the murder of Kabankalan City Regional Trial Court judge Henry Arles.

Col. Jon Aying, commander of the 303rd Infantry Brigade, said the rebel group has no legal authority and morality to judge people because they are composed of lawless individuals.

“This is just a manifestation of the kind of government they aim to put up. Where are these lawless people leading to?” Aying said in a press statement Friday.

The NPA’s Apolinario Gatmaitan Command had earlier announced that it issued warrants of arrest to former Vice Gov. Genaro Alvarez, his son Ilog Vice Mayor John Paul Alvarez, Cauayan Vice Mayor Jerry Tabujara, and other persons allegedly involved in the Arles murder case.

They claimed that they have an investigation report that they have submitted to the Special Partisan Unit (SPARU) of the NPA.

The Alvarezes, Tabujara along with seven other respondents faced a murder complaint for the assassination of Arles before the Department of Justice last year.

The DOJ later cleared the former vice governor and his son, and Tabujara for “insufficiency of evidence.” However, the same resolution recommended the filing of murder charges against seven other respondents, including Revolutionary Proletarian Army-Alex Boncayao Brigade leader Rustom Puro and members Marvin Salve, Gerald Tabujara, Alejandro Capunong, Jessie Daguia and Eddie Fortunado as well as Ilog municipal employee Emmanuel Medes.

Judge Arles was gunned down on his way home to Ilog on April 24 last year.

Senior Supt. Milko Lirazan, director of the Negros Occidental Police Office, had earlier said the NPA has no authority to issue warrants of arrest because there is only one government.

Lirazan had also said that any arrest made by the NPA will be a violation of Philippine law and charges will be filed against them.

Moreover, Aying said the NPA is merely “pretending to be guardians of the people.”

“Imagine these lawless individuals with several warrants of arrests for multiple crimes issuing warrant of arrest to civilians presumed innocent by law?” the Army official added.

Last January 27, NPA rebels staged an ambush at Barangay Puso, La Castellana that claimed the lives of nine persons and wounded 12 others.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=546059