2 NPA leaders nabbed at checkpoint

Two alleged leaders of the communist New People’s Army (NPA) were arrested on Friday at a police-military checkpoint in San Carlos City in Negros Occidental.

Colonel Oscar Lactao, 303rd Infantry Brigade commander, identified the two as Hernando Llorente, alias Ka Ador, and his wife, Faith Rosene Basergo, alias Bea.

According to military records, Llorente was a platoon leader of the Sentro de Grabidad platoon of the Northern Negros Front while his wife was the unit’s secretary.

Lactao disclosed that the couple had pending arrest warrants for robbery-in-band in connection with an NPA raid on a fishpond owned by a nephew of the late Governor Joseph Marañon Jr. in Barangay (village) Bulanon in Sagay City last year. The rebels took several high-powered firearms and an Icom radio base.

Cadiz Regional Trial Court Judge Renato Muñez placed bail at P40,000 bail for the Llorentes and other respondents, including Christian Tuayon, secretary general of the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan in Negros, and Ronald Ian Evidente, spokesperson of the Kilusang Mayo Uno.

A police report showed that Llorente and his wife were on board a tricycle with a driver and two others when they were intercepted at a checkpoint in Barangay Punao at about 8 p.m. Carla P. Gomez, Inquirer Visayas