CIDG-6 files raps vs ex-town councilor, rebels, 2 others

BACOLOD CITY ,Philippines  — The Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG)-Region 6 has filed Thursday multiple charges against a former councilor of Cadiz City, two other private individuals, and several suspected New People's Army (NPA) rebels related to the encounter between the rebels and the military in San Carlos City last week.

Negros Occidental police provincial director Senior Supt. Allan Guisihan also stressed that those involved in facilitating the use of the two vehicles by the NPA rebels will also face charges.

A source from the CIDG disclosed that those who were charged, at the RTC in San Carlos City, for direct assault with unlicensed firearms and frustrated murder were former Cadiz City councilor Dr. Danilo Nemenzo, Federico Tumbagahan, Mike Antonio Penafiel, captured rebel Japet Tuayon, and several John and Jane Does.

Nemenzo, Tumbagahan, and Penafiel were identified by the CIDG source as allegedly involved in providing the two luxury vehicles for the alleged members of the NPA who were intercepted at a random checkpoint by the joint Philippine National Police (PNP) and military forces.

Guisihan also confirmed the filing of charges against Tuayon for frustrated murder and direct assault against a person in authority.

He confirmed that the sheriff of San Carlos City filed the charges in Bacolod Wednesday afternoon. The bail for the temporary liberty of Tuayon was set at P212,000, he said.

Tuayon was captured after an encounter between military and PNP troops manning a checkpoint in San Carlos City when they were intercepted on board two luxury vans, a Starex Hyundai and an Urvan Escapade, Thursday night last week.

The wounded rebel is now under medical treatment in a hospital in Bacolod, Guisihan said.

Earlier military reports said about 30 NPA rebels who were riding in two luxury vehicles were intercepted at a checkpoint conducted by the police and the military in San Carlos City.

Colonel Oscar Lactao, 303rd Infantry Brigade commander, said he got reports from some residents at sitio Talave in Barangay Punao of San Carlos City that a firefight took place at the checkpoint there and that there were some rebels who were wounded.

One of those rumored to have died was a female NPA member, but Lactao said this news remains unconfirmed.

Tuayon, in a separate interview earlier, had said that he was riding in the Starex van with a certain lady, whom he only knew as Ka Richelle, when the firefight happened.