Monday, August 03, 2009

Arrested NPA leader is a big loss in their organization says Empedrad

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY (BEN BALCE / Cagayan Journal) – NORTHERN Mindanao police head Chief Superintendent Danilo Empedrad on Monday said that the captured of the regional leader of the New People’s Army (NPA) operating in Mindanao last Saturday night is a “big loss” to their organization.


“He is a big fish. His apprehension is a big loss to their organization,” said Empedrad adding that considering he is the head of five Front committees of the NPA operating in Mindanao.


Alfredo Mapano a.k.a. Paris was captured by combined elements of the Army’s 4th Infantry Division and the Philippine National Police in Region 10.


Mapano according to Empedrad headed the North Central Mindanao areas whom under him different NPA committees such as the Local Terrorist Areas 88 and 4A in Agusan province, Local Terrorist Areas 89 and 6 in Bukidnon and the remnants of 4B in Misamis Oriental.


“He (Mapano) arrested at Middleton hotel in CDO while with his wife,” said Empedrad. He said that Mapano was reportedly while on vacation when he was arrested.


Army’s 4th Infantry Division spokesman Major Michelle Anayron said Mapano was captured by virtue of eight (8) warrants of arrests issued by the different trial courts in Misamis Oriental, Bukidnon and Agusan del Sur.


Over DxIF Bombo radio, Anayron said Mapano was unarmed when apprehended by the combined PNP and 4ID personnel.


The apprehending authorities served to the Mapano six warrants of arrests with no bail bond recommended according to Anayron.


Cases filed against Mapano were criminal cases numbers 2003-955 for robbery with homicide issued by the Regional Trial Court of Misamis Oriental, 10th Judicial Region, Cagayan de Oro City; 2252 for robbery with double homicide and damage to properties issued by RTC Branch 7, Bayugan, Agusan del Sur;


4603 for double murder with frustrated murder issued by RTC Branch 6, Prosperidad, Agusan del Sur; 2006-3388 for robbery with homicide issued by RTC Branch 43, Gingoog City; 2003-955 for Robbery with Homicide issued by RTC Branch 18, Cagayan de Oro City; and Criminal Case Number 2846 for Murder issued by the Municipal Trial Court, Prosperided, Agusan del Sur.


Aside from the six non-bailable warrants of arrests, Mapano is also facing two arrest warrants under criminal case number 2006-3392 for frustrated murder issued by RTC 43, Gingoog City with recommended bail bond of Php 200,000.00 and Criminal Case number 15942-06 for Robbery issued by RTC Branch 8, Malaybalay City with recommended bail bond of Php 40,000.00.


In a joint statement, Anayron said that 4ID commander, Brigadier General Mario Chan and Regional police head C/Superintendent Empedrad lauded the Army and PNP personnel involved in the operation.


Anayron said Chan and Empedrad also attributed the success of the operation to the various sectors of Bukidnon and Cagayan de Oro (LGUs and Civilians) whose help and invaluable information led authorities to the exact location of Mapano and enabled authorities to serve the arrest warrants.


Home

Ben balce's channel/YouTube

24 former rebels receive financial assistance

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY - The Provincial Peace and Order Council (PPOC) of Misamis Oriental with the Office of the Presidential Assistance on the Peace Process (OPAPP) through the national government’s Social Integration Program (SIP) granted a total of P480,000 financial assistance to 24 former members of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) in Gingoog City July 31, Friday.


Misamis Oriental governor Oscar S. Moreno with OPAPP program implementation and monitoring director Susana H. Macaida, vice-governor and PPOC chair Norris Babierra and Gingoog City mayor Ruthie de Lara-Guingona handed out 20,000-peso cheque each to the rebel returnees in a simple ceremony at the Sangguniang Panlungsod hall in this city.


Anak-Mindanao party-list representative Ariel Hernandez who, before winning a seat in the House of Representatives, was executive director of Balay Mindanao Foundation, Inc. (BMFI) and sat as vice-chair in the PPOC, also graced the occasion.


Governor Moreno, in an interview yesterday (Monday), assured the former CPP-NPA members that the provincial government with the national government agencies and development-oriented institutions will continually respond to the needs of the communities where they come from.


To drive home a point, the provincial governor narrated his personal experiences in transforming sitio Lantad of barangay Kibanban, Balingasag which, in the past, serve as the regional headquarters of the CPP-NPA, into an economically-thriving community today.


Already a special agrarian reform community (SARC), Lantad has been a recipient of numerous livelihood and basic infrastructure support programs from the time the provincial government constructed a road that would link it to the town proper.


Governor Moreno said they will also do the same to barangay Tama of Magsaysay which, for so many years in the past and just like Lantad, was a hotbed of insurgency. Barangay Tama was launched as a SARC two months ago.


For her part, director Macaida stressed that the giving out of financial assistance to those who decide to rejoin the mainstream society, after having been engaged in armed struggle to topple down the government, has been a national government’s program since the restoration of democratic institutions after the people power revolution in 1986.


The OPAPP, she said, continues work in the spirit of the National Reconciliation and Development Program (NRDP) that was launched by past President Corazon C. Aquino in 1987. Such, she said, was pursued by under President Fidel V. Ramos, President Joseph E. Estrada, and under incumbent President Gloria M. Arroyo.


Meanwhile, PPOC executive officer Teddy Sabuga-a disclosed that the giving out of financial assistance to former rebels took a long process since the profiling of the would-be beneficiaries have to be conducted.


Although majority of the 24 are from this city, the other beneficiaries are from the municipalities of Alubijid, Balingasag, Claveria, Lagonglong, Medina, Salay and even from neighboring province of Agusan del Norte.


Sabuga-a, who is also the provincial social welfare and development officer, said the profiling and the processing of financial assistance to rebel returnees were primarily the tasks of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), particularly DILG Misamis Oriental provincial director Ponciano D. Caberte and Gingoog City local government operations officer Rubiconceasar U. Agcopra (Uriel Quilinguing).


Cagayan de Oro Journal

Ben balce's channel/YouTube