BY DOMINIQUE GABRIEL BAÑAGA
BACOLOD City – The Glock pistol issued to the late police chief of Guihulngan City, Negros Oriental who was ambushed three years ago was recovered from a suspected New People’s Army (NPA) leader who was arrested over the weekend.
The firearm confiscated from Adidas Acero was indeed that of the late Superintended Arnel Arpon, according to the Negros Oriental Police Provincial Office (NOrPPO).
Arpon, a resident of Hinoba-an, Negros Occidental, was among the five cops killed in July of 2017 when their convoy was ambushed by NPA rebels in Sitio Mandi-e in Guihulngan City’s Barangay Magsaysay.
NOrPPO said the Glock 9mm pistol was recovered from Acero on Sept. 20, when joint operatives from NOrPPO, the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office and the Philippine Army’s 303rd Infantry Brigade served an arrest warrant for charges of illegal possession of firearms and explosives.
Aside from Acero, suspected high-ranking NPA leaders alias “Baldo BJ”, vice commander, Front Operational Command, and Nona Espinosa, alias “Ava/Jelay”, deputy front secretary of Central Negros 1 Front, Komiteng Rehiyon-Negros Cebu Bohol Siquijor, who have eight warrants of arrest for various crimes, were arrested in Barangay Buenavista, Guihulngan City during joint military and police operations last Sunday.
Other individuals arrested were Lea Canja Niles, Xian Flores Batiken, Rodrigo Himino Benlot, Felix Baquilta Policher, Analyn Matusada Flores, Crispin T. Diano, and Juravilla Eno Baloy.
Army Colonel Inocencio Pasaporte, 303IB commander, said three years after the massacre of Arpon and his men, they have given him justice.
Pasaporte said Acero and Espinosa must answer for the heinous incident.
“As a proverb goes, ‘The long arm of the law is bound to catch you’ and justice will be served to the victims. They should pay for all their evil acts especially in claiming the lives of a dedicated police officer and his men while serving their duty in securing the peace and safety of Guihulngan City,” Pasaporte added./PN
