BY DOMINIQUE GABRIEL BAÑAGA
BACOLOD City – A suspected New People’s Army (NPA) rebel facing murder and frustrated murder charges was arrested in a joint military and police operation in Barangay San Fernando, Talisay City, Negros Occidental.
Ruffa “Ka Reniel” Baynosa, 44, was one of the 20 NPA rebels who allegedly ambushed civilians onboard a utility truck in Sitio Toril, Barangay Salamanca, Toboso town on July 13, 2009. Three persons were killed and three others were injured.
Baynosa’s arrest on Thursday came after troops of the Philippine Army’s 79th Infantry Battalion (79IB) pursued members of the communist-terrorist group sighted in the area on Wednesday.
At 12:30 p.m., troops deployed to Hacienda Ambulog saw a person suspiciously entering the house of villager Marilyn Dianton and held the said individual for questioning.
Later, they were able to identify her as Baynosa and the police confirmed that she had three warrants of arrest.
Baynosa was detained in the lockup cell of the Talisay City police station.
In the same area on Wednesday, troops of the 79IB found a two-month-old baby boy in the house of Dianton left by suspected NPA rebel “Ka Jandy” who fled with a comrade to evade the soldiers.
The infant was turned over by soldiers and policemen to the care of the City Social Welfare and Development Office.
Troops also recovered subversive documents, medical supplies, baby stuff, food items, three mobile phones, seven phone batteries, two cellular phone chargers, a power bank, and a gas stove with five butane fuel canisters./PN
