Lorenzana says nabbed amazon not his relative

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana denied news reports last week stating that a New People’s Army amazon arrested recently in Abra province is his niece.

In a statement sent to Defense reporters, Lorenzana said that he is not related to the arrested NPA amazon identified as Adriel Dawn Aguilar Aquino, alias “Joan,” contrary to what was claimed in some news reports.

Lorenzana explained that Aquino is a distant relative of his wife and this has no relevance to her arrest by proper authorities.

“This notwithstanding, the rule of law must be upheld at all times and equally applied to everyone regardless of who he or she may be,” he said.

Northern Luzon Command (NOLCOM) forces arrested Aquino after an hour of gun fight in Boliney, Abra recently.

Lt. Col. Isagani G. Nato, NOLCOM public information officer, said the 25-year-old Aquino was captured by the Army troopers from the 24th Infantry Brigade (24IB) and the 7th Infantry Division (7ID), after she sustained multiple gunshot wounds following the gun battle.

She was provided immediate medical care.

According to Nato, the NOLCOM forces initially encountered 20 NPA members in Sitio Tinalban, Barangay Kilong-Olao in Boliney around 3:30 p.m. of July 1, but the rebels dispersed after the exchange of gun fire.

The arrested NPA amazon admitted that she was a member of the NPA, under the Kilusang Larangang Gerilya (KLG) North which operating in Abra and remote areas of Kalinga and Mountain Province, Nato said.

Recovered from the NPA combatants were several firearms and subversive items such as three M16 rifles, among others.