3 suspected NPAs nabbed for violation of election gun ban

From the Philippine News Agency (Mar 3): 3 suspected NPAs nabbed for violation of election gun ban

The believed to be Maoist-Leninist-inspired New People's Army (NPA), arm wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), may be losing battle of winning the hearts and minds of the Boholanos as their alleged comrades-in-arms were nabbed recently.

Suspects identified as certain Alberto Pancho, 30, single and resident of Bugang, Bilar town and Cristuto Lastomen, single and resident of barangay Villaflor, Carmen town were recently nabbed in this town for breaching the Comelec's gun ban. Both are now facing charges in court for illegal possession of high-powered firearms and ammunitions, police report said.

Police accosted the duo who were on standby with a single motorcycle at past 9 PM on February 26, 2013 when the former were conducting mobile patrol along the highway of barangay Alegria in this hinterland town, more than 30 kilometers from capital Tagbilaran City.

Police report said that they seized from Pancho and Lastomen Beretta 9mm caliber pistol, Colt .45 handgun with live ammunition in the magazines.  The same spot (barangay Alegria of this town) where alleged rebel leader known as Ruben Nabas with different aliases, "Elmer," "Padi," and "Rex" was arrested by police officers for violating gun ban, based on the report of the 302nd Infantry Brigade of Philippine Army based on Tanjay City, Negros Oriental.

Mayor Bert Salinas, in an exclusive interview, of this town confirmed the arrests of Nabas and Lastomen. He said he was still waiting for an official report from police authorities regarding the arrests of the suspected rebels. Asked what could be the motive why they're in his town, the mayor answered in the negative, saying maybe "they're into something we don't know."

Acting on an information, the police together with the Philippine Army officers also found the next day in same barangay two sacks loaded with materials, such as wire cord and batteries believed to be made for improvised explosive device (IED) and the other sack with already made IED, police said.

The police probers are now looking into the possibility if Pancho, Nabas and Lastomen were really involved in the bombings that crippled of power transmission lines installed by the Natinal Grid corporation of the Philippines in barangay Sta. CAtalina, Sagbayan town in 2011 and in barangay Sto. Nino, San Miguel town.

The provincial police command last year downplayed that the rebels are responsible for the said bombings of the power transmission lines because the rebels did not issue statement claiming such incident but the Centcom revealed otherwise --- that the rebel movement was allegedly instrumental for those bombings.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=503157