Female NPA leader falls in Bacolod hotel

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines – A female regional leader of the New People’s Army (NPA) with pending murder and rebellion charges was nabbed by security forces in a hotel here last Saturday, the military said.

Maj. John Andrada, spokesman of the Army’s 3rd Infantry Division, said Marilyn Badayos, secretary of one of the fronts of the NPA’s Central Visayas Regional Committee, was nabbed at Omar Hotel on Narra Street.

Andrada said Badayos, who used the aliases Eunice and Jonna, is facing rebellion and murder raps and was arrested by virtue of a warrant issued by Branch 63 of the Negros Oriental Regional Trial Court.

Andrada said Badayos is believed to be recuperating from gunshot wounds she sustained in an encounter with government troops last May 3 in Sta. Catalina, Negros Oriental.

The Army’s 303rd Infantry Brigade has sent a doctor that would provide medical attention to Badayos.

Badayos reportedly took over the NPA post vacated by her brother Danilo who was nabbed in October last year at a mall in Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental and is now facing murder charges.

“It’s a big blow to the NPA. But it’s no time for us to go easy against any person who will sow terror. Instead, Badayos’ arrest should remind us not to let our guards down,” Andrada said.

Armed Forces chief Gen. Eduardo Oban Jr. said Badayos’ arrest would reduce the chances of violence being used by communists as leverage in the peace talks.

“The arrest of Badayos will lessen the chances of the NPA, with whom the government is talking peace with, to be able to use force or threaten to use force as a leverage in the negotiating table,” Oban said in a statement. – Alexis Romero, Danny Dangcalan