By GLAZYL MASCULINO
BACOLOD CITY – Armed with four search warrants, government authorities simultaneously raided Thursday afternoon the offices of some progressive groups and arrested 62 persons believed to be connected with the New People’s Army (NPA).
The Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG)-6 implemented search warrants issued by the Quezon City Regional Trial Court (RTC) at the offices of the Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) and Gabriela Negros Center in Barangay Bata and the Negros Federation of Sugar Workers (NFSW) in Barangay Taculing, and another office in Barangay 33.
The operation was launched in coordination with the Army’s 3rd Infantry Division (ID), Joint Task Force-Negros, and Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office (Nocppo).
Capt. Cenon Pancito III, chief of 31ID public affairs office, said the operation was conducted after receiving reports from concerned citizens against some people in these areas for illegal possession of firearms and explosives.
The reports were also confirmed after a family from Kabankalan City rescued six teenagers from one of the said offices last week.
Pancito said they decided to apply for the search warrants in Quezon City because they the targets of their operation also involve national personalities.
He said 49 of the arrested persons — six minors, eight girls, four progressive group leaders, and 31 other individuals — were rounded up at the KMU office.
Pancito said the place is being considered as a “training center” for young recruits whom the NPA mold as “child warriors” and later task as part of their liquidation team.
Authorities also recovered from the said office several high-powered firearms and an explosive.
The area has a conference room, a library with books about the GRP-NDFP peace negotiations, application form for AnakBayan and other personal belongings, and red flags.
Nine persons were also arrested at the Gabriela Negros Center and four others in Barangay 33 and Barangay Taculing, Pancito said.
The arrested minors will be brought to the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) while the rest will be placed under the custody of Nocppo for further investigation and filing of appropriate charges, he added.
Meanwhile, Michael de la Concepcion, secretary-general of Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) slammed the Army and the police for the operation, claiming that the recovered firearms and an explosive were all “planted evidence.”
De la Concepcion also denied that the arrested individuals were affiliated with the NPA.
Pancito, on the other hand, said that their statements are not new to them.
He said “this is a big blow against these organizations for carrying illegal weapons.”
“Either they have direct participation with the NPA or one way or another, malaking kawalan ito sa kanila. This is a good effort on the part of the Philippine Army and the Philippine National Police (PNP) in establishing genuine peace and order in Negros island,” he added.
