BY DOMINIQUE GABRIEL BAÑAGA
BACOLOD City – A suspected member of the New People’s Army (NPA) was arrested in a joint police and military operation in Barangay Caradio-an, Himamaylan City, Negros Occidental on March 1.
He was 26-year-old Warren Lozano, a resident of Sitio Cantupa in the city’s Barangay Buenavista.
According to Lieutenant Colonel Angelo Guzman of the Philippine Army 94th Infantry Battalion (94IB), they conducted the operation following reports of Lozano’s presence in the area.
Guzman said Lozano was a member of the NPA hit squad Special Partisan Unit that belongs to the Sentro De Grabidad 3, Regional Strike Force of Komiteng Rehiyon-Negros-Cebu-Bohol-Siquijor.
Lozano was identified based on the testimonies given by former insurgents who surrendered to government forces, Guzman added.
When frisked, police recovered a loaded .45-caliber pistol and a black sock containing two cartridges for an M203 grenade launcher.
Lozano was detained in the lockup cell of the Himamaylan City police station, facing charges for violation of Republic Act (RA) 10591, or the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act, and RA 9516 (illegal possession and manufacture of explosives).
In a radio interview, Major Romeo Vargas, acting police chief of Himamaylan, said Lozano denied being a member of the NPA and claimed that the firearms and explosives recovered from his possession were planted.(With PNA/PN)
