Naugsan eludes arrest: 3 top NPA rebs nabbed in Sagada town lodge

SAGADA, Mountain Province – A top officer of the communist movement in   northern Luzon eluded arrest in a lodge here at sitio Mabbay when police and military agents surrounded the establishment around 4:30 p.m. on Sept. 9 but three of his companions, alleged members of the New People’s Army, were arrested.

Lawmen set the operation to capture Simon “Filiw” Naugsan and his companions following arrest warrants issued against them but apparently, the old hand knew how to get out of the fix and it is still a mystery where he is.

            

Naugsan is spokesperson of the Cordillera People’s Democratic Front and reportedly a key officer of the New People’s Army-Communist Party of the Philippines and also secretary of the KilusangLaranang Guerilla Marco Group.

Arresting officers included personnel of the Regional Public Safety Battalion,  Benguet Police Provincial Safety Company, Sagada Municipal Police Station, Military Intelligence Group, 3ISU, and 5MIB led by Senior Supt. Ulyesses J. Abellera, deputy regional police director for operations.

The team knocked on the room door but those inside refused to open it prompting lawmen to ask assistance of the lodge owner to  forcibly open it.

Inside the room were three persons but Naugsan was not among them.

They were later identified as Ofelia Ibous Inong with several aliases as Mary Bautista Juan/ Lolita Longuibis/ Joy/ and Abel.

She was finance officer of the Kilusang Larangan Guerilla (KLG) Marco operating in Mt. Province and the co-accused of Naugsan with a standing warrant of arrest issued by Judge Artemio Marrero of the Regional Trial Court of Bontoc, Mt. Province for eight counts of murder.  

They also face two warrants of arrest for murder issued by the RTC Branch 16 in Ilagan, Isabela and RTC Branch 10 2nd Judicial Region, Aparri, Cagayan.

Inong has monetary reward of P 2.05 million pesos for information for his capture based on joint order of the Department of National Defense and Department of Interior and Local Government.

The other was identified as Rey Miguel Busania alias Ramil/ Eden,Arnel C. Dancel based from a school ID and John Miguel Martinez according to his driver’s license.

He was the communication head of the Komiteng Region - HilagangSilangan Luzon with a warrant issued by the RTC of the 2nd Judicial Region in Madella, Quirino for murder.

He was listed No. 34 on the DND and DILG joint order with a monetary reward of P3.9 million.

The third was identified as Aileen Cruz alias Ka Liza also called Gayle Cruz Santos, Sandra Castillo Reyes/ Danica Castro in her alleged employee ID. She is a suspected NPA member based in Abra.

The three were charged for violation of Article 178 of the RPC, using fictitious name while their connection to other cases are still being investigated.

Ofelia Longuibis was committed to the provincial jail on orders of Judge A. Patnaan while Rey Busania will be turned over to the Madella, Quirino court where he has arrest warrant.

Cruz was released on orders of the provincial prosecutor including all the items confiscated from them.

Police recovered subversive documents, electronic devices and cash worth P200,000.

Chief Supt. Benjamin B. Magalong, regional police director said the arrest of the top NPA leaders was a big blow on the NPA operating in Cordillera. – AD with a report from Dexter See