Another ‘rebel leader' falls

From the Visayan Daily Star (Apr 13): Another ‘rebel leader' falls

A month after an arrested New People's Army leader was freed from jail, another suspected leader of the group was apprehended Saturday by operatives of the Regional Intelligence Unit 6 in Victorias City, Negros Occidental, for the crime of arson.

The arrested suspect, alleged by the police to be the Finance and Logistic Officer of the Northern Negros Front of the Komiteng Rehiyonal-Negros was identified as Joseph Sibugan, with the aliases of Sakay and Rubin Arquellon Lumacang.

Sibugan was denied bail by San Carlos Regional Trial Court Judge Kathrine Go.

The RIU 6 operatives headed by SPO2 Rolando Saniana were assisted by the local police force in serving the arrest warrant to Sibugan in Hacienda Nena, Brgy. 14, Victorias City.

Police investigations showed that Sibugan is allegedly involved in the collection of revolutionary taxes from sugar planters and landowners in northern Negros.

Troopers of the Regional Public Safety Battalion troopers have beefed up the Victorias City Police Station, in guarding Sibugan, who is now due for transfer to the San Carlos Bureau of Jail Management and Penology.

Sibugan was positively identified by a rebel returnee, the police said.

Last month, Rogelio Posadas, alias Poten and Isko, who was arrested Jan. 9 at a police checkpoint in San Carlos City, was also freed from jail last month, after reportedly posting bail of P180,000.

Posadas tagged by the military as the secretary of the Northern Negros Front- KR-Negros, is facing murder, homicide and robbery-in-band charges in court. But for still unknown reasons, he was still able to post bail.

Aside from Posadas, other alleged rebel leaders arrested in Negros Occidental, are Romeo Natan, regional commander of the NPA, Mary Grace Delicano-Sumayang, Nilda Natan Bertulano, Rogelio Danoso, and Hernando Llorente who rejoined their comrades in the mountains, after posting bail and being released from detention, the military said.

They had been charged for murder, robbery-in-band, frustrated murder, attempted murder and arson, among others, that the militant organizations dismissed as “trumped up charges”.

http://www.visayandailystar.com/2015/April/13/topstory4.htm