Arrested NPA hitman with Bayan Muna Rep. Teddy Casiño

By LtCol. FELIX M. MANGYAO (INF) PA
May 9, 2007

CATBALOGAN, Samar  –  Following the recent arrest of the NPA hit man in Leyte in the company of Bayan Muna Representative Teddy Casiño, majority of the Leyteños and Waray-warays are now aware of the glaring tie-up between the Bayan Muna Partylist Group and the CPP/NPA/NDF.

The hit man was identified as Vincent Borja, alias Bebot/Tata. He was arrested during a raid in his hideout, which was disguised as a Bayan Muna Headquarters, in Brgy Linao, Ormoc City by the joint elements of the AFP and PNP in the evening of May 7, 2007 at around 8:30 p.m. The arresting party was surprised to see the unexpected presence of Representative Teddy Casiño in the company of the fugitive.

Borja is the chairman of the Regional White Area Committee of the Eastern Visayas Regional Party Committee (EVRPC) and the concurrent Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) Regional coordinator.

He was arrested by virtue of warrants of arrest duly issued by the courts. One warrant was issued by Honorable Judge Apolinario Buaya of Regional Trial Court Branch 35, Ormoc City for two (2) murder cases including the shooting to death of Sgt Guillermo Analasan of 19IB in Kananga, Leyte on November 7, 2006. Another warrant was also issued against him by Honorable Judge Aquilino Inopeques Jr of the Municipal Trial Court, Kananga, Leyte for destruction of property.

During the arrest of Borja, Bayan Muna Representative Teddy Casiño physically obstructed the police and vigorously argued with them. Instead, the arresting team invited Casiño for questioning.

Series of incidents in the past indicate linkages of Bayan Muna and CPP/NPA/NDF. To cite an example is the successful arrest of team leader SPARU and Commander, Front Operational Command, North Leyte Front (NLF) Paterno Opo alias Loloy in his hideout disguised as Bayan Muna Headquarters in Tacloban City last April 6, 2007. Several firearms and hand grenades were recovered including Bayan Muna documents. Similarly, several encounters between the government forces and the NPA yielded voluminous subversive documents that indicate link of Bayan Muna with the CPP/NPA/NDF.