Lawmen nab ‘rebel leader’

From the Visayan Daily Star (Feb 17): Lawmen nab ‘rebel leader’

Another alleged leader of the New People’s Army, with pending arrest warrants for murder and robbery-in-band, in connection with the 2009 ambush of civilians in Toboso, Negros Occidental, was apprehended Saturday by a combined team of police and military personnel in Brgy. E. Lopez, Silay City.

The arrest of Victor Tapang, former commander of the Sentro De Grabidad Platoon codenamed Cherry Mobile of the Northern Negros Front, who is now a member of the Taxation Bureau of Komiteng Rehiyonal-Negros, yielded a .45 caliber Mark IV pistol with a magazine containing six ammunition, while two rifle grenades were recovered from the compartment of his motorcycle, police and military records show.

Two weeks ago, suspected NPA leader Biboy Espinas, a member of the Komiteng Rehiyonal-Negros Finance Bureau, who is also facing a murder case, was also apprehended by Army troopers in Brgy. Carabalan, Himamaylan City. A .38 caliber revolver was also recovered from him, military said.

In his report to Senior Supt. Milko Lirazan, provincial police director of Negros Occidental, Supt. Jacob Crisostomo, Silay police chief, said that Tapang was driving an XRM 125 motorcycle with a certain Lorenzo Perolino, alias Tisoy, in tandem with him, when they were intercepted by military and police personnel, composed of the PNP Special Action Force, city police force, Public Safety Company and 303rd Infantry Brigade in Hacienda La Purisima Concepcion, Brgy. E. Lopez, Silay City.

Perolino, however, managed to escape, but Tapang was arrested, with a gun in his possession, and the explosives in his motorcycle, Crisostomo said.

Major Rey Tiongson, Army’s 3rdInfantry Division spokesman, said yesterday that Tapang has a pending arrest warrant for murder, in connection with the killing of two civilians and injuries of two others during the ambush of a civilian vehicle in Sitio Toril, Brgy. Salamanca, Toboso, on July 13, 2009.

The NPA, who claimed responsibility for the ambush, later apologized for the incident, as they had mistaken passengers of the vehicle for paramilitary personnel of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

Crisostomo said Tapang has another pending case of robbery-in-band, with bail set at P40,000 by Cadiz Regional Trial Court Judge Renato Munez.

Col. Jon Aying, 303rdInfantry Brigade commander, said the arrest of Tapang will add to the leadership crisis, now being experienced by the KR-Negros hierarchy.

Tapang is now detained at the Silay police jail, pending the filing of charges against him forillegal possession of firearms, ammunition and explosives.

Maj. Gen. Aurelio Baladad, 3rd Infantry Division commander, credited the arrest of Tapang to the timely information fed to them by concerned civilian authorities.

The victims of the CPP-NPA and Tapang have been crying for justice, Baladad said in his statement, adding, “We will ensure that the rule of law will always prevail”.

http://www.visayandailystar.com/2014/February/17/topstory4.htm