Caraga’s most wanted NPA rebel falls in Surigao Sur

From the Philippine News Agency (Apr 12, 2023): Caraga’s most wanted NPA rebel falls in Surigao Sur (By Alexander Lopez)

MOST WANTED REBEL. Police nabbed an alleged communist rebel Roel Martiniz, who was served with of arrest warrants on April 10, 2023 in Lianga town, Surigao del Sur province. Martiniz is facing kidnapping, serious illegal detention, and grave coercion charges. (Photo courtesy of PRO-13)

BUTUAN CITY – A New People’s Army (NPA) rebel classified as a regional-level priority target and wanted for kidnapping and illegal detention charges has been arrested, the Police Regional Office in the Caraga Region (PRO-13) reported Wednesday.

In a statement, PRO-13 director, Brig. Gen. Pablo Labra II, identified the arrested rebel as Roel Martiniz, of Barangay Diatagon, Lianga town in Surigao del Sur province.

Martiniz was arrested on Monday afternoon by joint police units in the province during an operation in Diatagon.

“The suspect has two arrest warrants for kidnapping and serious illegal detention charges issued by the Regional Trial Court Branch 7 in Bayugan City, Agusan del Sur, and for grave coercion before the Municipal Trial Court in Barobo, Surigao del Sur,” Labra said.

An intelligence report also said that Martiniz is an active member of the Malahutayong Pakigbisog alang sa Sumusunod (MAPASU), an organization with links to the communist movement in the area.

MAPASU is an organization under the White Area Committee of the Weakened NPA Guerilla Front 19, North Eastern Mindanao Regional Committee (NEMRC), the report said.

According to Labra, Martiniz is among the NPA rebels involved in the kidnapping of Bernabe Salahay, of Barangay Kolambugan in Sibagat town, Agusan del Sur, on Dec. 19, 2018.

The suspect is also linked to the intimidation of indigenous peoples (IPs) in Sitio Panukmaan, Barangay Diatagon in July 2018, which forced residents to leave their villages.

“The PRO-13 provides a range of services and conducts operations to maintain peace and order, and ensures that our communities are safe,” Labra said.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1199244