3 NPA leaders, 9 others hunted for slaying of activists, journalists

Police are hunting down three New People’s Army (NPA) commanders and nine others for the killing of political activists and journalists.

Reporting to Interior Secretary Ronaldo Puno, Task Force Usig said the wanted suspects are linked to the murders of six militant leaders and three media personalities.

Subject of warrants of arrest are NPA commanders Edgardo Sevilla, Edgar Calag, Ronnie Lomerio, former soldiers Roderick and Romeo Castillo, Larry Aparato, Nilo Morete, Emmanuel Alday, Michael Garcia, Buboy and Jalal Saidali, and an unidentified suspect.

Director Jefferson Soriano, Task Force Usig commander, said Sevilla is wanted for the killing of National Democratic Front leader and former NPA commander Sotero Llamas.

Calag is accused of killing NDF lawyer Gil Gojol, while NPA commander Lomerio is wanted for the murder of Councilor Maximo Frivaldo and Ding Uy, he added.

Soriano said former NPA member-turned-military-asset Aparato is wanted for the murder of Bayan Muna leader Edilberto Napoles.

The Castillos, former Army soldiers, are also being hunted down for the killing of labor union leader Ricardo Ramos in Tarlac in 2005, he added.

Soriano said two of the six suspects in the killing of Aurora-based journalist Philip Agustin, Morete and  Alday, have pending warrants of arrest against them.

Garcia and an unidentified suspect were linked to the killing of Batangas-based journalist Arnel Manalo, while the Saidalis are the primary suspects in the slaying of Laguna-based reporter Robert Ramos, he added.

Task Force Usig is investigating the cases of unexplained killings.

As of mid-October, 25 suspects involved in unexplained killings have already been sent to jail, according to Interior Assistant Secretary for public order Danilo Valero.

The manhunt is part of police efforts to speed up the resolution of 141 incidents of unexplained killings. – Cecille Suerte Felipe