Alleged rebel bomber, 4 others arrested in Isabela

CAMP MELCHOR DELA CRUZ, ISABELA – A suspected New People’s Army bombing expert and four other alleged rebels were arrested on Monday (Feb. 19) by the police and the military in Ilagan City.

Mauricio Sagun allegedly heads the NPA Training, Demolition and Explosives Team and is supposedly an expert in manufacturing and handling improvised explosive devices and landmines, said Army Capt. Jefferson Somera, 5th Infantry Division spokesman.

Somera said Sagun was arrested at his house in Barangay San Antonio Centro along with Mario Turqueza, 65; Maximiano Domingo, 41; Ariel Peñaflor, 48; and Bernard Peñaflor, 21, all of San Mariano town in Isabela province.

The Army claims the four other men were recruits of the NPA Sparrow Unit, an urban attack group formed and deployed during Martial Law.

Seized from Sagun’s house were three hand grenades, a caliber 9-mm Pietro Beretta, a Cal. 38 pistol, two blasting caps, and a roll of detonating cords.

The arrested suspects were brought to the police for questioning before they were held at the military camp here.