No haven for CPP/NPA/NDF in Northern
Leyte
By 2LT MALINCHE Y. TOMARONG (INF) PA
July 10, 2006
ORMOC CITY, Leyte –
The 19th Infantry (Commando) Battalion scored anew in its intensified
campaign against the CPP/NPA/NDF in Leyte. Barely more than a week,
following the arrest of Arlene Tarong y Rapada alias Alma/Leslie,
Finance Officer of Section Committee (SK-4), Northern Leyte Front (NLF),
the Commando unit, in joint operation with 8ISU, 8MIB, MIG8, and PNP
led by the Battalion Commander himself, LtC. Lope C. Dagoy, nearly
captured the province’s top Communist/Terrorist (CT) leader known as
Bibiano Rentillosa alias Elmo/Tomas/Tommy/Sinto, the current Secretary
of NLF.
At about 8:45 AM on
July 8, 2006, acting on the information provided by the unit’s
informant on his presence in Bgy. Sto. Niño, this city, together with
his party wife alias Teray, Head of Propaganda & Education, the troops
pursued the couple when they were spotted to have entered the compound
owned by one Dr. Ramon Agudo at said barangay. However, the couple
managed to flee said compound just before the troops arrived in the
place, but not without leaving behind their daughter Liezel Laurente y
Rentillosa alias Winz who has a two-month old child and herself one of
the team leader of the Medical teams of NLF, along with two (2) of the
four (4) Security Forces of Rentillosa, namely: Nathaniel Agustin y
Del Pilar alias Ronnie/Regan vice squad leader of Security Force (SF),
Front Operational Command (FOC) and Jojo Robellos y Agapito alias
George Political Guide (PG), Security Force (SF), Front Operational
Command (FOC), who were subsequently apprehended by the pursuing
troops. The two (2) also managed to flee with the couple.
The
3 captured NPA members
It was found out later
from this operation that one of the houses inside the compound and its
immediate vicinity was used by the couple as their Safe House for some
time now. And notably, another tunnel was discovered to be under
construction just adjacent to the house. Recovered from the three (3)
apprehended CTs were the following: Three (3) M16A1 Armalite Rifles;
One (1) Colt Super .38 Cal Pistol with fifteen (15) live ammunitions;
Twenty Three (23) assorted magazines for M16 with 495 live
ammunitions; Two (2) sacks full of subversive documents; 8 books of
Katilingban ngan Rebolusyon Pilipino; 13 books Hamubong Kurso alang sa
Kababayen-an sa Kabaryuhan; 5 books Batakang Kurso Partido; 4 books
Ang Partido; 5 books Hamubong Kurso sa Katilingban ng Rebulosyon
Pilipino; 9 books Ispesyal nga Kurso Alang sa Batan-on; 20 bundles
CT’s propaganda visual aids; 2 booklets Pambansa Demokratikong
Paaralan; 1 pc. CD Player/Walkman; 2 cartoons printing paper; 1
cassette recorder; and personal belongings.
LtC. Dagoy emphasized
that this latest operational success against the CTs is proof of the
efficacy of the peoples’ support in the campaign against the
insurgents. “We are making their world smaller each day until they
will find no way out, but to surrender” he said. He is confident that
he will get Rentillosa the soonest possible time ahead of his given
personal schedule of six (6) months to one (1) year. “Rentillosa has
done more than enough havoc in the economy and the lives of the people
of Leyte. It’s just about time he must be stopped by all legal means
possible”, he adds.
The three (3) are now
in the custody of the unit for documentation and for the appropriate
filing of criminal cases against them and their cohorts.
On the part of the
owner of the property where the safe house was located, investigations
will be conducted to determine his knowledge on the personalities and
background of the Rentillosa and those that were apprehended,
considering that the CTs have been using his property for quite some
time now. If the evidences warrant, then he will be charged criminally
as well.
