Alleged NPA member nabbed for double murder

CEBU CITY—An alleged member of New People’s Army (NPA) from Southern Mindanao was arrested on Friday by Criminal Investigation and Detection Group in Central Visayas  (CIDG-7) in Barangay Lahug, Cebu City, for charges of double murder in Compostela Valley province.

Adelfa Toledo, also known as Amy Pond, was detained at CIDG-7 in Camp Sotero Cabahug before being turned over to the regional trial court that issued the arrest warrant.

While Toledo was in detention, members of Anakbayan and Pagkakaisa ng mga Samahan ng Tsuper at Opereytor Nationwide (Piston) held a rally outside the police camp to demand her release.

Niño Olayvar, Anakbayan-Central Visayas chairperson, said Toledo was not Pond as identified in the arrest warrant.

Olayvar said Toledo was in Cebu to attend the national convention with other members of Rural Missionaries of the Philippines and was supposed to go home in Davao on Saturday.

Senior Supt. Marlon Tayaba of CIDG-7 said Toledo arrived in Cebu City last week.

“Based on our surveillance and monitoring, Amy Pond and Adelfa Toledo is one and the same person,” Tayaba told the reporters.

Toledo is accused of killing barangay councilors Florencia Guay and Roberto Kapangpangan at the barangay hall in Ngan, Compostela, in Compostela Valley on Aug. 7, 2000.

Judge Virginia Tehano-Ang of RTC Branch 3 at Nabunturan town, Compostela, on Jan. 22, 2015, issued an arrest warrant against Toledo for double murder charges.

Toledo was said to be an executive committee member of the Southern Mindanao Regional Committee, Komisyon Mindanao of NPA.

She had been in the underground movement since 1978 and was second deputy secretary and member of Komiteng Hukom of the Davao Oriental Provincial Committee in 1988.

Toledo was also the secretary of the Guerilla Front 18, Sub-Regional Committee 2 from 1990 to 1995 and secretary guerrilla Front 15, Sub-Regional Committee 1 from 1999 to 2002.