The Philippine Army yesterday justified the arrest of an alleged top leader of the New People’s Army on Friday at a checkpoint in San Carlos City, Negros Occidental, citing an arrest warrant for murder, while the suspension of military operations against communist rebels is still ongoing.
No one is above the law, Col. Jon Aying, 303rd Infantry Brigade commander said, referring to the arrest of Rogelio Posadas, secretary of the Komiteng Rehiyonal- Negros Northern Negros Front.
Aying said Posadas, with the aliases of Poten and Isko, has a pending warrant of arrest for murder, in connection with the death of an Army officer on March 9, 2010 in Cadiz City.
“It was a law enforcement operation,” Aying said, adding that Posadas was positively identified by his former comrades at the checkpoint, that was manned jointly by the San Carlos City police, Special Operations Group of NOPPO, 6th Regional Public Safety Battalion and the 62nd Infantry Battalion, in Hacienda Socorro, Brgy. Punao, San Carlos City.
In July last year, Abraham Villanueva, alias Tikboy, who was alleged by the military and police to be the secretary of the KR-Negros South West Front, was also intercepted at a police checkpoint in Brgy. Dancalan, Ilog.
While several other NPA leaders arrested managed to post bail due to weak evidences and lack of witnesses, Aying said he is confident that Posadas, who was intercepted at a checkpoint while riding a “habal-habal (motorcycle),´may not able to do so, as they have strong evidences against him, and witnesses against him used to be his colleagues.
Maj. Gen. Rey Leonardo Guerrero, 3rd Infantry Division commander, in a statement he issued, said the Army’s involvement in the arrest of Posadas is part of its mandate to support the law enforcement operation of the Philippine National Police, to maintain peace and security in the locality, consistent with the guidelines in the SOMO (Suspension of Military Operations).
The SOMO being observed by the AFP will end on Jan. 19, while the CPP-NPA is observing its unilateral ceasefire on Jan. 15 to 19, in line with the visit of Pope Francis in the country.
Aying said they are still verifying two other arrest warrants for murder and homicide against Posadas, who was unarmed during his arrest.
Supt. Victorino Romanillos, who led the combined police and military personnel in conducting the random checkpoint, said they released the driver of the habal-habal, while Posadas was brought to the Cadiz City Police Station for detention.
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