By LITO RULONA
and NITZ ARANCON
Correspondents
POLICE arrested a suspected guerrilla as it launched pursuit operations against New People’s Army rebels who posed as police officers when they raided a security agency to cart away high-powered firearms in Valencia City on Friday night. Rebels also seized a soldier at a nearby NPA roadblock.
Police identified the arrested suspect as 18-year old Luvimin Rosos a.k.a. Tiyal of Barangay 1A, Poblacion, Quezon, Bukidnon.
Rosos is suspected to have served as a lookout when the NPA carried out the Valencia raid.
Police said the suspect’s rented room at Juanita Village in Purok 17, Valencia City yielded survellance cameras, nght vision goggles, a sniper’s veil, a camouflage raincoat, a hammock, and a black jacket.
Authorities said the suspect’s cellphone showed surveillance video clips on the raided security agency.
Aside from the raid, Camp Alagar said, rebels collared a policeman, disarmed and then freed him. Although released, PO1 Emilio Traya of the Maramag police, lost his Glock 9mm pistol after rebels stopped him at a roadblock.
But T/Sgt. Joseph Paredes of the Army’s 8th Infantry Brigade was taken by the rebels.
Camp Evangelista spokesman Capt. Patrick Joe Martinez said Paredes was on a motorcycle with his wife. He said the soldier was off duty and was in civilian clothes at that time.
Camp Alagar spokesman Supt. Lemuel Gonda said the rebels carted away two AK47s, an M16 rifle, three shotguns, three caliber .38 revolvers, and ammunition from the Davao Security and Investigation Agency Inc. (Dasia).
Gonda said at least 15 NPA rebels dressed in police uniforms ransacked the Dasia office in Purok 17, Hindangon, Valencity City at around 6 pm Friday.
About 15 other rebels manned the roadblock outside, he said.
Dasia was founded in 1972 by President Duterte’s high school classmate and friend, the late Col. Emilio Escandor. The agency has since expanded operations nationwide.
Gonda said the rebels met no resistance when they told the guards that they were policemen who were conducting a search based on a court order.
While the rebels were ransacking the security agency’s office, Gonda said, others also set up a checkpoint outside, flagging down all passing vehicles, including motorcycles being driven by PO1 Traya and T/Sgt. Paredes.
The rebels fled using the security agency’s vehicles–a Toyota Hilux, two armored vans and two motorcycles.
Gonda said responding policemen found the two armored vans abandoned along the highway in Valencia City. (with reports from mindanews)
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