Transfer of wounded rebels to Cebu eyed

CEBU, Philippines - Provincial Police Director Jesus Gaquing has instructed his men at the southwestern part of Cebu to be watchful of wounded persons from Negros Oriental that would seek refuge in the area of Toledo City.

The directive came following the encounter between suspected rebels and the 11th Infantry Battalion in Guihulngan, Negros Oriental last Monday morning.

1Lt. Mark Posadas, spokesperson of the 3rd Infantry Division, assured that the AFP would not allow the wounded suspected rebels enter Cebu easily.

AFP personnel in Negros Oriental recovered the body of one Leofrie Vallejera alias Bokyo who was confirmed to be the intelligence officer of the Kilusang Rehiyon Negros, a revolutionary movement of communists in the entire Negros island.

Likewise, the platoon headed 1LT. Danilo Mutoc arrested two out of 10 suspected rebels who were cited at an abandoned house in sitio Moog, barangay Planas in Guihulngan. The two were identified a Monico Embudo Butas alias Dadoy and Sario, 62, a resident of Guihulngan, and Junrey Cuevas alias Ivan, 19, a resident of Negros Occidental.

Posadas said Cuevas was reportedly among those that figured and wounded in an attack on a police station in La Libertad town November last year.

Mutoc’s platoon proceeded to the area in sitio Moog after a report of residents about armed men in the area.

“Pagpasok  nila sa area kung saan yung reported site, naa may nakita silang abandonadong bahay, pero noong nilapitan nila, pinaputukan sila”, said Posadas.

After the gunfight, Vallejerea’s body was recovered with multiple gunshot wounds on his head and body. Recovered near the body was a M53 caliber rifle with a magazine and three live ammos.

Meanwhile, a .45 caliber pistol, two magazines, four live ammos, magazine pouch for .45 pistol, a hand grenade, a backpack containing subversive documents, food and personal belongings were recovered from Butas and Cuevas.

Military personnel also recovered medical supplies and propaganda materials, including seven compact discs containing subversive multimedia, revolutionary love letters, pictures and radio inside the abandoned house.

Posadas said that they believed that the group was in a meeting and preparing propaganda materials for a mass action against the military when Mutoc’s team arrived.

The two were turned over to the Guihulngan police station following the rebellion charges filed against them yesterday.

A certain Primo Javiento, 43, the owner of the abandoned house where the suspected rebels stayed was also invited for questioning.

Posadas said they are not discounting the possibility that some of the rebels they encountered were from Cebu.

“That’s possible kasi yung in Central Visayas lumipat dun sa southern Panay,” Posadas said.

Militant personalities from Cebu have reportedly been spotted in Negros Oriental, including in Guihulngan and in the area in 79th IB. – Gabriel C. Bonjoc/JMO (THE FREEMAN)