4 alleged NPA recruiters arrested in Camarines

MANILA, Philippines - Four suspected recruiters of communist rebels were arrested by security forces on Monday in Camarines Norte, the military said.

Maj. Harold Cabunoc, spokesman of the Army’s 9th Infantry Division, said the suspected rebels were nabbed in a safe house in Barangay Dos in Daet town at around 10:30 a.m.

Arrested by military and police forces were Esmeraldo Bardon, Denver Bacolod, Elpidio de Luna and Melo Bermas.

The four were nabbed by virtue of a search warrant for violation of Article 142 of the Revised Penal Code (Inciting to Sedition) and an arrest warrant against Bardon for the murder of a militia man named Pedro Bigueras.

“The residents complained that the suspects were enticing young people to join the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF) in the safe house,” Cabunoc said in Filipino.

“The police sought assistance from the military’s 902nd Brigade when they conducted the operation because of reports that there are armed groups who go to the safe house,” he said.

Col. Generoso Bolina, spokesman of the Armed Forces Southern Luzon Command (Solcom), said the four are members of the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (Peasant Movement of the Philippines).

Recovered in the safe house were plastic bags containing improvised explosive device with two blasting caps and wires, a desktop computer, a notebook laptop computer, a photocopy machine, a printer, seven mobile phones, and subversive documents.

The suspects are now under the custody of the Philippine National Police in Daet.

Bolina said Solcom chief Lt. Gen. Roland Detabali has directed his forces to intensify their drive against the communist rebels.

The Bicol region, where Camarines Norte is located, is one of the areas with huge concentration of NPA troops. The other areas that are heavily-influenced by communist guerillas are Samar, Negros and Davao region. The military said there are about 4,700 communist rebels nationwide.