Militant group leader nabbed in Quezon for rebellion

LUCENA CITY—Combined police and military forces arrested a national officer of militant farmers’ group Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) in Catanauan town in Quezon province Bondoc Peninsula area on charges of rebellion on Friday morning, police said.

Chief Insp. Lalaine Malapascua, officer-in-charge of Macalelon police, said Antonio Pajalla, KMP national vice chair and a resident of Macalelon town, was nabbed at around 9:30 a.m. in Barangay Matandang Sabang by virtue of warrant of arrest issued by Judge Proceso de Gala of Branch 61-Regional Trial Court in Gumaca town for charges of rebellion filed in 1995. The suspect was arrested while aboard a vehicle.

“He did not resist arrest,” she said in a phone interview. Pajalla is detained at the Macalelon police station.

Col. Lenard Agustin, commander of the Philippine Army’s 201st Infantry Brigade operating in Quezon, said the role of the Army soldiers in the arrest of the suspect was just as a support group to the police operation.

“We’re not after the legal front. What we’re after are the armed rebels,” Agustin said over the phone.