ILOILO City – A suspected leader of the New People’s Army (NPA) was arrested on Thursday morning, Nov. 9, on Fuentes Street, Barangay Hipodromo, City Proper, for a string of criminal charges.
Operatives of the Police Regional Office 6’s Regional Intelligence Office arrested Jonathan Emolaga, alias “Bambie,” the suspected vice commanding officer, Front Operational Committee, of the NPA’s Komiteng Rehiyon-Panay.
Emolaga had been charged with the following:
* double attempted murder under Criminal Case No. 2936; warrant of arrest issued by Judge Nelson Bartolome of the Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 67, dated Sept. 27, 2016, with no bail recommended
* attempted murder and multiple attempted murders; arrest warrant issued by Judge Irene Banzuela-Dulo of RTC Branch 67, dated Sept. 21, 2021, with a P120,000 bail bond
* attempted homicide; arrest warrant issued by Judge Kathryn Rose Hitalia-Baliatan of the Municipal Trial Court, dated June 21, 2023, with a P36,000 bail bond
Emolaga was the No. 8 most wanted person in the province of Iloilo.
According to Police Regional Office 6 director Brigadier General Sidney Villaflor, Emolga was once a squad leader of the NPA’s Squad 3, Suyak Platoon, Southern Front, KR-Panay in 2020, among others.
The suspect was detained at Iloilo City Police Station 1.
“Patuloy po tayo sa ating kampanya laban sa mga wanted persons at insurgency dito sa ating rehiyon para mabigyang hustisya ang kanilang mga naging biktima. Nagpapasalamat po ako sa patuloy na suporta ng ating mamamayan, sa ating pagsulong ng payapa at mas ligtas na Western Visayas,” Villaflor said./PN
