NPA leader arrested in Bacolod City

DUMAGUETE CITY, Negros Oriental, Philippines – A ranking female communist leader from Cebu was arrested while two soldiers were wounded in separate operations on Negros Island on
Saturday.

Marilyn Badayos was collared at a pension house in Bacolod City, Negros Occidental, by joint police and military teams about 9 a.m.

Badayos, a native of barangay Guadalupe in Cebu City, was allegedly the secretary of the New People’s Army (NPA) Southeast Front of the Komiteng Rehiyonal Sentral Bisayas (KRSB).

She reportedly replaced her brother, Danilo Badayos, after the latter was arrested in October 2010, according to Lt. Col Christopher Tampus, public information officer  of the Armed Forces Central Command (Centcom) based in Cebu City.

Her other brother, Winnie Badayos, is with the Kilusang Mayo Uno.

About 30 minutes before her arrest, a group of soldiers chanced upon 15 suspected communist rebels in Barangay Banawe, Pamplona town in Negros Oriental, about 5:30 a.m.

Two soldiers were hurt during the 40-minute gun battle that ensued.

A bullet grazed the face of 1st Lieutenant Mark Anthony Calamba, platoon leader of the Bravo Company of the 79th Infantry Battalion while Private First Class Romel Siangco was hit in the leg, said Tampus.

He said some rebels were also wounded in the encounter based on the traces of blood found on the site of the encounter.

“The encounters on Negros Island  is in line with the AFP Oplan Bayanihan, which is to conduct sustained combat and non-combat operation against the NPAs to clear the area of any threat,” he added.

Tampus said the arrest of Badayos stemmed from the warrant issued by Judge Ananson Jayme of Regional Trial Court Branch 63 in Bayawan City, Negros Occidental, on Jan. 14, 2010, on charges of  rebellion.

Tampus said Marilyn Badayos  was an NPA leader in the southeast front in Negros Oriental but decided to hide in Bacolod City, Negros Occidental, apparently to heal her wounds sustained during an encounter with the military in Sta. Catalina town, Negros Oriental on May 3.

An Army officer was killed in the encounter between soldiers and about 30 NPA members at  Sitio Avocado, Barangay Talalak, Sta. Catalina.

“Nilaylo na siya after naigo sa encounter last May 3 (She lied low after she was hit in the encounter last May 3),”  Tampus said.

A joint team from the Bacolod City Police Office and the 303^rd Infantry Brigade found Badayos inside a pension house along  Narra Street in Bacolod about 6 a.m. on Saturday.

She was detained at the police station 4, Bacolod City, Negros Occidental to face charges.

Recovered from her possession were documents with high intelligence value, assorted letters and personal belongings, said Tampus.

Tampus said Badayos was suspected to be involved in several atrocities including killing of Quenciano Rendoque last October 04, 2010 as well as the military informant in barangay Basiao, San Jose, Negros Oriental.

With a report from Florence Baesa, Inquirer Visayas