9 suspected rebels nabbed in Batangas; group cries crackdown
Nine persons, claiming they were activists on a human rights fact-finding mission, were arrested by the police on suspicion that they were part of the group of communist rebels that government forces clashed with in Nasugbu town in Batangas province on Monday.
But the militant rights group, Karapatan, said the people authorities arrested were sugarcane farmers and fishermen from Batangas.
They are Jocelyn Cabadin, 44; Jenelyn Bayani, 30; Leonardo delos Reyes Jr., 43; Carlos Sanoza, 62; Orlan Cabadin, 19; Josefino Castillano, 50; Peping Sacdalan, 67; and Roberto Hernandez.
Also arrested was driver Mark Anthony Bañaga, whose jeepney was hired by the group.
Checkpoint
Representatives of Karapatan and officials of the police and military said the group was arrested before noon Monday at a police checkpoint in Barangay 6, Nasugbu.
The police set up checkpoints following a clash between Philippine Air Force (PAF) soldiers and New People’s Army (NPA) rebels in the villages of Utod and Bunducan at 8 a.m. that day.
Lino Baez of Karapatan said the group formed a 40-member “quick-reaction team” to go to Barangay Utod. He said they wanted to document any human rights abuses committed against residents near the clash site.
“We were onboard two jeepneys. The first was allowed past the (police) checkpoint, but the second jeepney was held,” Baez said.
Crackdown
Chief Insp. Rogelio Pineda, Nasugbu police chief, said Bañaga could not present a driver’s license, prompting authorities to bring him and his passengers to the police station.
“We told the police that if there was a violation, they should just issue the driver a ticket and he would settle it with the LTO (Land Transportation Office) later,” Baez said.
Baez said the police, hours later, eventually allowed them to leave.
He said they were about to step out of the station when policemen called them back because soldiers had arrived.
The soldiers, Baez said, began pointing at those who would be arrested, he said.
“Our troops recognized them. How could they not? [The clash happened] during daytime and they were like only 30 meters [apart], face to face,” said Maj. Engelbert Nioda, commander of the 730th PAF Combat Group.
Pineda said they did not recover any firearm from the group.
Asked if the police found any other sign that the suspects came from a clash, he said: “They were fleeing. Malinis na (They were already clean).”
None of those arrested was wounded.
According to Karapatan, the arrest signals a crackdown on activists, after President Duterte on Saturday announced his plan to classify the NPA as a terrorist group.
The Nasugbu police said it would file a complaint for attempted murder, a bailable offense, against the suspected rebels.
