BACOLOD CITY – The Army and police continue their aggressive campaign against insurgency in Negros Occidental with the arrest of two suspected female New People’s Army members in Escalante City last Nov. 1.
Capt. Cenon Pancito III, chief of Army 3rd Infantry Division Public Affairs Office, identified the suspects as Maria Lindy Balaobao Perucho, deputy secretary for finance of Komiteng Rehiyon-Negros, Cebu, Bohol, and Siquijor, and Imelda Pasinabo Sultan, deputy secretary for finance of the KR-NCBS. Perucho and Sultan were arrested in Barangays Jonob-Jonob and Balintawak, respectively.
Authorities applied search warrants at the houses of the two women and another alleged NPA member in Barangay Hacienda Fe but the subject was not there and there was no recovery.
Authorities recovered from Perucho a .45 caliber pistol with ammunition, .38 caliber, and three 40MM grenade launcher ammunition. Seized from Sultan were three .45 caliber pistols with 17 live ammunition, seven grenade launcher ammunition, two claymore type mines, and subversive documents.
Pancito said that the arrest of the suspects can be considered a major setback to the ground work of the communist terrorists.
Police Col. Romeo Baleros, Negros Occidental police director, said that State forces were able to prevent and weaken the mass base of the NPA and military building efforts in the province.
Last Oct. 31, 57 persons, 14 of which were minors were also arrested and rescued by the state forces in four simultaneous raids at the offices of some progressive groups here. (Glazyl Masculino)
