Troopers recover firearm;
intensify drive vs. NPAs
BY GILBERT BAYORAN

Soldiers of the 61st Infantry Battalion yesterday recovered a .30 caliber M1 garand rifle in Brgy. Buenavista, Himamaylan City, Negros Occidental during operations against members of New People's Army Larangan Gerilya 2 in southern Negros.

Lt. Col. Norman Flores, 61st IB commander, said the United States assault rifle with 24 live ammunition was hidden in one of the houses in the barangay, by rebels who probably merged with civilians to avoid detection.

In previous weeks, an M-14 and M-16 assault rifles were also recovered by the 61st IB in separate raids and encounters in Cauayan, Negros Occidental and Santa Catalina town, Oriental Negros, respectively.

The 61st IB soldiers who are employing the Special Operations Team strategy to destroy political and military structures set up by the CPP-NPA, have been accused by militant groups of mauling two Bayan-Muna members in Brgy. Caradio-an, Himamaylan City.

Flores said the Larangan Gerilya which is composed of a platoon of red fighters led by Armando Sumayao, is now on the run and making adjustments due to the presence of soldiers in the area.

He claimed that the Komiteng Rehiyonal Negros is now mobilizing its "united front", composed of militant organizations, to ease the pressure on New People's Army red fighters operating in the area.

In Binalbagan town, which is adjacent to Himamaylan, the police also recovered two unlicensed firearms - a 20-gauge shotgun and .38 caliber revolver, from two arrested persons identified as Reynaldo de Leon and Bernabe Payahay, during the weekend.

Senior Inspector Virgilio de la Cruz yesterday said the shotgun was recovered from De Leon, of Brgy. Oringao, Kabankalan City, who was disembarking from a cargo truck along the highway of Brgy. San Teodoro, Binalbagan.

De la Cruz, who is the Binalbagan police chief, said he is now coordinating with the Kabankalan police to determine if De Leon has a pending arrest warrant or is involved in any crime.

On the other hand, the .38 revolver was taken from one surnamed Payahay during a raid at his residence in Brgy. Bi-ao, Binalbagan.

De la Cruz said charges for illegal possession of firearms have already been filed against De Leon and Payahay before the Provincial Prosecutor's Office of Negros Occidental on Feb. 21.*GPB

back to top

PDEA examination
for agents rescheduled
BY GILBERT BAYORAN

The examination for Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency agents has been moved from Feb. 26 to March 12, PDEA regional chief Rolen Balquin said but added that the testing center for Visayas applicants will remain in Cebu.

Balquin said the PDEA is recruiting 100 anti-narcotic agents nationwide, as part of its re-organization program that is expected to start in July next year.

Applicants for PDEA agents must not be more than 40 years old, a college graduate and a Civil Service eligible, at least 5 feet and 2 inches in height for female and 5 feet and 4 inches for male.

Balquin said applicants must bring the required documents, including their original birth certificates.

Starting next year, policemen who opt to stay with PDEA will lose their ranks.

PDEA has been patterned after the United States Drug Enforcement Agency, whose agents and operatives are all civilians.*GPB

back to top