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BY RANIE AZUE
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Friday, October 6, 2017
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BACOLOD City – A veteran journalist and martial law human rights violation victim denied his alleged link to beleaguered Senior Police Officer 1 Joshua Barile and the New People’s Army (NPA).
Three former civilian informants of Barile accused Edgar Cadagat of facilitating a meeting between the former regional police intelligence operative and an NPA commander in a doughnut joint in this city.
The informants turned into witnesses against Barile, who was arrested on Sept. 22 after high-powered firearms and prohibited drugs were seized from his house in Regent Pearl Homes Subdivision, Barangay Alijis.
In an affidavit, they claimed the meeting was a transaction for the sale of firearms that rebels used in the ambush of the police in Guihulngan City, Negros Oriental.
Six officers including their chief, Superintendent Arnel Arpon, were killed in the ambush.
Cadagat introduced an “NPA district commander” named “Albert ‘Ka Ambit’ Lacerna” to Barile in July, the witnesses – Jerry Gepullano, Jim Paul Elizalde and Roy Flores – stated in their affidavit.
Barile turned over to the supposed NPA leader high-powered firearms including M16s, M14s and AK-47s, the witnesses said.
All these are “concoctions of a malicious mind” of a “politician from the south” who wanted to get even with Barile, who was part of the police team that raided their ancestral house a few years ago, Cadagat said.
Cadagat did not name the politician.
He said he already knew he was being dragged into the case buildup against Barile even before the three witnesses’ affidavit was released.
Only an illegal possession of explosives (hand grenades) charge was filed against Barile after the National Bureau of Investigation secured from the officer’s superiors a certification indicating he was authorized to have the firearms seized from his house for safekeeping, records obtained by this reporter showed.
Cadagat said he does not personally know Barile or the supposed NPA leader.
The only time he met Barile was during a news conference the officer held at the Negros Press Club building, said Cadagat./PN
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