9 dead in crackdown vs Reds in Capiz

ILOILO CITY, Philippines — Nine suspected New People’s Army (NPA) rebels were killed and 17 others were arrested in simultaneous police operations in Tapaz, Capiz and Calinog, Iloilo yesterday.

Brig. Gen. Rolando Miranda, Western Visayas police director, said personnel of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) and local police implemented 28 search warrants against suspected communist insurgents in seven barangays in Tapaz and two in Calinog.

The warrants for illegal possession of firearms and explosives were reportedly secured from a court in Metro Manila.

Police are withholding the names of the fatalities, all from Barangays Lahug, Nawayan, Tacayan, Aglinab, Acuna and Daan Sur in Tapaz, pending verification of their identities.

A police officer was also reported wounded.

Ten other NPA rebels were arrested in Tapaz and seven in Calinog.

Miranda denied reports of Army support, saying it was a purely police operation.

Lt. Col. Gervacio Balmaceda of the CIDG-Western Visayas office, said they applied for search warrants after receiving complaints from residents about the presence of armed men in the areas.

“The barangays are all known to be infested by NPA rebels,” Balmaceda said.

He said an undetermined number of firearms were recovered from the rebels.

It was learned that the office of the Philippine National Police chief and Western Visayas police oversaw the operations.

”The main purpose of the operation was because we received information that they have been keeping unlicensed firearms and even explosives,” Balmaceda said.

However, the families of the fatalities and those arrested claimed innocence of the allegations against them, saying they were sleeping when law enforcers arrived.

Ruice John Gayas, a resident of Barangay Ahlinag in Tapaz told Bombo Radyo-Roxas that  his father was shot while sleeping.

Barangay captain Julie Catamin of Roosevelt village in Tapaz said the raid was not coordinated with them.