“SINAS TOLD CANLAON RESIDENTS, LEFTIST ARE RACKETEERS”

 

Tonton Alcos Antogop

CANLAON CITY- Without mincing words, Central Visayas Police Regional Director Brigadier General Debold Sinas named the left leaning group Karapatan and Gabriela as “racketeers.”

“Kabalo mo ang huna-huna sa Karapatan, Gabriela, pangngwarta lang nila na” Sinas said in the dialogue that followed their Medical Mission Outreach Program in Barangay Panubigan gymnasium here Saturday

Sinas gave his rejoinder to the complaints of some residents regarding land ownership issue where it was known that a certain Eppie Asentista of Karapatan was an active peasant organizer in the area.

Canlaon City Mayor Jimmy Clerigo himself confirmed the activities of Asentista.

“Kana si Eppie Asentista General mao pud na ang gatuyok-tuyok dinhi sa una Karapatan mao nang gikumbinsir sila gipapirma sila ug petisyon. address didto sa DENR nga ihatag ang yuta nila didtos sa bukid” Clerigo said during the dialogue.

Sinas told the residents not to entertain any left leaning groups alleging that their real motive is to ask funding from abroad especially Europe.

“The more mo mag resist, the more dali ihatag, the more nga gusto ng Karapatan, ng mga leftist organization kay kabalo sila kung naay away mukita sila ana, dawat na pud sila ug kwarta sa Europe.”

The top cop in the region also asked those who have relatives who are members of the New People’s Army (NPA) rebels to return to the folds of the laws claiming they pose as peasants but are actually extortionist armed groups.

“Kanang istorya na mag-uuma na yes. Mag-uuma na sa buntag, pagkahapon extortionists, pagkagabii armado, tinuod man na ba? Kabalo mo, ana diba?”

NPA surrenderees Sinas said would be given livelihood and other cash benefits including the renumeration of their surrendered firearms under the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-CLIP) of the government thru the Department of Interior and Local Goverrnment (DILG).

Sinas said the NPA In Negros Oriental is a security threat in the province. He said they were able to deter a supposed attack on the Canlaon City Police Station and an ambush of some of his men last March 17.

On March 30, a simultaneous police operation called Operation Plan (Oplan) Sauron 2.0 was launched in the province which resulted to the killing of 14 persons.

The police supervised by Sinas himself swiftly conducted their operation through the implementation of Search Warrants issued by the courts but the 14 allegedly shot it out with the policemen.

Among the targets was Asentista but she was not around when the raid in her house happened.

8 of those killed were from this city 4 from Manjuyod and 2 in Sta. Catalina.

The Commission on Human Rights (CHR), National Police Commission (Napolcom) and the Regional Internal Affairs (RIAS 7) is conducting a probe on the incident prompting the PNP leadership to administratively relieved Negros Oriental Police Director Raul Tacaca, Canlaon City Police Director Patricio Degay, Manjuyod Police Station Chief Roy Mamaradlo and Santa Catalina Police Station Chief Michael Rubia.

Those killed were tagged by Tacaca as members of the Special Partisan Unit (SPARU) of the Leonardo Panaligan Command of the NPA’s in Negros Island.

Recovered during the operations were eight rifle grenades, seven cal. .45 pistols, 17 cal. .38 revolvers; one cal. .38 revolver; three 12-gauge shotguns; one homemade rifle and two other firearms of unknown caliber as well as 147 assorted live ammunition and a huge volume of suspected subversive documents.

Aside from the failed attack of the this city’s police station, the NPA’s in Negros were also blamed for the failed assassination of Police Senior Master Sgt. Humprey Teves of the Manjuyod police last March 7, the killing of Army Master Sgt. Celso Pedochino last October 13, the failed assassination of Patrolman Paul Tarugo of the Canlaon City Police on November 14 last year, and the shooting of Police Master Sgt. Marjun Cadiz in Manjuyod.

The slain suspects were identified as Steve Arapoc, Manulo Martin, Sunny Palagtiw, Edgardo Avelino, Esmael Avelino, Rogelio Recomono, Ricky Recomono, Genes Palmares, Eric Acabal, Ano Enojo Rapada, Gonzalo Rosales, Melchor Pañared, Mario Pañares and Franklin Lariosa.

Aside from being a Karapatan officer, Asentista is also described as NPA mass base organizer.

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