Key Philippine Military and Insurgency-Related Events: AFP dangles P5.3-million reward for Concha’s arrest

Thursday, April 7, 2022

AFP dangles P5.3-million reward for Concha’s arrest

From Panay News (Apr 7, 2022): AFP dangles P5.3-million reward for Concha’s arrest (By Ruby Silubrico)

BOCALA

With P5.3 million being offered as reward, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) is hopeful of catching its prized rebel target in Panay Island – Ma. Concepcion “Concha” Araneta-Bocala, peace consultant of the Communist Party of the Philippines and National Democratic Front.

Bocala – arrested for rebellion and other criminal charges by the combined forces of the military and police on Aug. 1, 2015 at a safe house in Barangay Calumpang, Molo district here – was temporarily released from detention in 2016 to participate in the peace talks between the rebels and the national government in Norway.

However, after President Rodrigo Duterte terminated the negotiations in 2017, Bocala disappeared. The AFF believed she sought the help of comrades to hide.

“Since may arrest warrant sya, she is our target,” said Major General Benedict Arevalo, commander of the Philippine Army’s 3rd Infantry Division (3ID).

He described Bocala as a “communist terrorist group member”.

The bounty for her arrest was raised to P5.3 million from P4.8 million last year.

From what the military so far gathered, Bocala is no longer in Panay Island. But they are uncertain where she is now based.

What the 3ID is sure is that Bocala was not among the 16 rebels who died when the military bombed a New People’s Army (NPA) encampment in Barangay Alimodias, Miag-ao, Iloilo four months ago, on Dec. 1, 2021.

According to the military, Bocala also goes by the nom de guerre “Etang” and “Martha”and is serving as secretary general of the NPA’s Komiteng Rehiyon – Panay (KR-P).

Arevalo previously twitted Bocala for being “matanda na”.

“Dapat sa kanya mag-surrender na at magpahinga,” according to Arevalo.

Bocala is believed to be in her 70s.

Her husband Reynaldo died in a shootout with policemen on May 28, 2021 in Pavia, Iloilo. He held several positions in the NPA in Panay Island – deputy secretary of the NPA Southern Front Committee, chief of the NPA regional operational department, and finance officer.

Nine other suspected CTG personalities in Panay Island were recently named and the corresponding prize money for their arrest:

* Elmer Buencochillo alias Jess (multiple murder and frustrated murder) – P150,000

* Robhttps://www.panaynews.net/afp-dangles-p5-3-million-reward-for-conchas-arrest/erto Cabales alias Ted, Apid, Ryan, Robert (robbery in band with frustrated murder and damage to property) – P150,000