Rebel with explosive nabbed in Escalante

From the Visayan Daily Star (May 17, 2019): Rebel with explosive nabbed in Escalante

An alleged member of the New People’s Army was arrested yesterday by Army soldiers in Purok Bagong Buhay, Brgy. Balintawak, Escalante City, Negros Occidental.

Nabbed was Rem Lanie Pintor, 49, of the place.

The arrest of Pintor by Army soldiers yielded a rifle grenade. He was immediately turned over by soldiers to the Escalante City Police Station for detention.

The apprehension of Pintor came in the wake of ongoing pursuit operations against fleeing NPA rebels encountered on Wednesday by 79th Infantry Battalion soldiers in Brgy. Minautok, Calatrava.

But Brig. Gen. Benedict Arevalo, 303rd Infantry Brigade commander, said yesterday that the arrest of Pintor was made, as his troops were following two women, who came from the encounter site in Calatrava.

The pursuit of the two women, who were riding in two motorcycles, ended at the residence of Pintor in Brgy. Balintawak, Escalante City, that led to his arrest for illegal possession of explosives, Arevalo said.

But he added that the two women they had been following were nowhere to be found, following the arrest of Pintor.

Three soldiers were slightly injured in the latest gunbattle in Calatrava, the third encounter initiated by the 79th Infantry Battalion since January that left three rebels killed, and the recovery of two high-powered firearms.

Arevalo said that the group of NPA rebels encountered by 79IB troopers alleged to be supporting a candidate in Calatrava, were mobilized against another candidate.

The Roselyn Jean Pelle Command, meanwhile issued a statement of giving honors to Ka Julie and Ka Zero, who died during a raid initiated by the 79IB in Brgy. Marcelo, Calatrava on April 17.

Rebel spokesperson Cecil Estrella, however, debunked military claims that a certain Sulpicio Hernan, who also died in the raid, was among their members, insisting that he was a civilian.

Meanwhile, two persons were arrested by the police at a checkpoint on Tuesday in Sitio Polopangyan, Brgy. Bug-ang, Toboso, Negros Occidental.

Nabbed were Ronnie Panday, 31, of Brgy. Makiling, Sagay City, and Aljune Navarro, 20, of Brgy. Minapasok, Calatrava.

Recovered by the police from the Fuzo Canter, where the two suspects were riding, were a 9mm caliber pistol and three magazines containing 47 live ammunition.

Panday and Navarro are now locked up in jail.


http://www.visayandailystar.com/2019/May/17/topstory9.htm