• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Pursuing government troopers arrested a suspected member of the New People’s Army (NPA) while conducting checkpoint operation in Barangay Mabini, Escalante City, Negros Occidental on Monday, June 1.
The suspect has been identified as Junril Bacalso, 41.
PLt. Col. Florendo Fajardo, chief of Escalante City Police Station, said that Bacalso attempted to evade the checkpoint, leading to his arrest.
Recovered from his possession were a caliber .45 pistol and a hand grenade.
In a radio interview, Fajardo alleged that Bacalso’s group, which had been involved in illegal drug activities, has links with the NPA.
According to police report, Bacalso took over leadership of the drug group following the death of its former leader, Joseph Bindoy.
Bindoy and his two associates were killed during a gunbattle with personnel of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, Philippine National Police, and Philippine Army in Barangay Jonob-Jonob, Escalante City on April 15.
The encounter on June 1 in Barangay Tamlang, Escalante City led to the death of an Army private first class.
Earlier, 1Lt. Fevie Fajardo, civil-military operations chief of 79th Infantry Battalion, said the troops engaged five rebel remnants, who are among those behind the liquidation of two civilians in Barangay Minautok, Calatrava on May 13 and in Barangay Magticol, Toboso on May 27.
They are also believed to be among the remnants of the group of Roger Fabillar Tapang, who was among the 19 NPA combatants killed during the April 19 encounter in the neighboring Toboso.
The clash prompted the evacuation of about 80 families or 311 individuals from four sitios in Barangay Tamlang. | GB
