Police have arrested six suspected communist rebels who were tagged as responsible in the killing of four policemen in Ayungon, Negros Oriental last month.
The arrest of the six suspected rebels, along with the deployment of police commandos in Negros Oriental, have somehow normalized the security situation in the province, according to Police Brig. Gen. Bernard Banac, spokesman of the Philippine National Police (PNP).
As such, Banac said there is no need for the implementation of martial law in Negros Oriental on the part of the police.
“On the part of the PNP, the peace and order situation in Negros Oriental is going back to normal. But it is up to the DILG (Department of the Interior and Local Government) based on the recommendations of the local executives,” said Banac.
The declaration of martial law in Negros Oriental was floated amid the series of killings in the province which started after the death of the four policemen.
A total of 17 people were killed a few days after the death of the four cops, most of them were accused of having links with the local communist rebels.
The death of the barangay captain of the barangay where the four cops were executed was not included. He allegedly committed suicide by drinking a pesticide.
President Duterte has offered P5-million reward for the arrest of the rebels who perpetrated the execution of four cops.
Aggressive police operations were conducted based on intelligence reports and alleged accounts of the witnesses which resulted in the arrest of six rebels.
They were identified as Victoriano Anadon Jr., Edmar Amaro, Jojo Torres Ogatis, Danny Tancinco, Ronnie Herebias, and Marlon Basalo.
Anadon was collared in Ayungon a day after the death of four cops. Tancimco, Herebias, and Basalo were nabbed in Cebu on July 31.
Ogatis and Amaro, on the other hand, were arrested in Ayungon last Saturday.
“They were positively identified by witnesses as involved in the killing of our four policemen,” said Banac.
Appropriate charges, according to him, are now being readied against the arrested suspects and their companions. (Aaron Recuenco)