Camp Alagar exec denies he peddled fake news on Salinas arrest

By NITZ ARANCON
Correspondent

CAMP Alagar’s spokesman over the weekend denied peddling fake news about the supposed Feb. 1 arrest of an alleged ranking official of the Communist Party of the Philippines in Ozamiz City.

Supt. Lemuel Gonda said the news advisory he released on Friday about the supposed arrest of alleged CPP secretary general Rommel Salinas was neither fake news or was it a “recycled” arrest story.

“Dili man ta gapagawas og press release nga fake,” said Gonda.

Gonda said police served a second arrest warrant against Salinas while he emerged from a court hearing at Bernard Subdivision, City Hall Drive in Barangay Aguada, Ozamiz City on Thursday.

Camp Alagar drew flak on Friday after journalists noted that Salinas is the same alleged communist leader arrested at a checkpoint in Ozamiz City along with Iglesia Filipina Independiente Bishop Carlos Morales on May 11, 2017, for alleged illegal possession of explosives.

Gonda said that while Salinas was arrested last year, he has been slapped with two arrest warrants by Judge Dan Calderon of the Regional Trial Court Branch 32 in Dinagat Island Oct. 21, 2013.

“Ma-o tong gi-arrest siya pag-gawas niya sa  iyang hearing,”  he said.

Gonda said the second arrest was for a destructive arson case filed against Salinas in October 2013.

He said Salinas also has a case for frustrated murder that is being heard by Judge Calderon.

Gonda gave the explanation even as he criticized two media persons from Cagayan de Oro and Iligan City — Sheryl Macale and Divina Suson — for ranting over his failure to respond to their questions about Salinas on social media.

“Dili daw ko gaeply, wala man ko kaeply kay  nag-briefing baya ko. Pero sila putak ng putak diretso,” Gonda said.

“Kanang media sa Iligan nga dako gihapon og ulo, pareha ra na silag batasan sa usa ka media  dihhi sa Cagayan,”  Gonda said.