Mata was security man
of Mayor Mondia: NBI

Special Investigator Ramilo Quinto of the National Bureau of Investigation said yesterday that alleged rebel leader Marvin Mata denied participation in the ambush of Mayor-elect Magdaleno Peña, but admitted being among the security escorts of Pulupandan Mayor Luis Mondia during the May 14 elections, although he detached himself from the Mondia family on May 16.

Peña had claimed that Mata was among the gunmen who ambushed him on May 30, leaving two of his companions dead. Quinto, who was among the interrogators who grilled the captured rebel leader at the 6th RMG headquarters in Victorias City, said that while Mata admitted having been a member of the New People's Army, he had gone AWOL (absent-without-leave) from the underground movement.

The Boy Gatmaitan Command had claimed responsibility for the ambush of Peña last month in Pulupandan, Negros Occidental, where mayor-elect and his three companions were injured.

Mata was tagged by the military and police as commander of the Regional Operational Command of the NPA and its liquidation unit, aside from being the number three man in the hierarchy of the Komiteng Rehiyonal Negros.

Quinto said Mata claimed that he was in Brgy. Pahanocoy, Bacolod City, when Peña and his companions were ambushed by a group of unidentified armed men.

The NBI, however, said they are not yet ready to divulge the allegations of Peña in his affidavits.

Mondia, accompanied by Senior Supt. Rosendo Franco, yesterday went to the NBI office and asked for the status of their investigations on the Peña ambush.

Quinto said the NBI has not made any declaration that Mondia was involved in the ambush of Pena. However, he added, "We cannot stop Mayor Peña from declaring what he wants to declare because that is his personal right".

Quinto said they plan to file charges against the ambushers of Pena next week.

Mata who was denied bail for robbery-in-band charges by Judge Moises Nifras, is still under the custody of his police captors at Camp Aniceto Lacson in Victorias City.

However, his companion, identified as Arturo Fabiona, has already been released by the police the day after their captivity in Talisay City, Negros Occidental.*GPB

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Bing terminates Fabiona

Bacolod Mayor Evelio Leonardia yesterday ordered the termination of casual employee Arturo Fabiona from the Office of the Sectoral Concerns.

The termination will take effect when the COMELEC ban ends on Monday.

Fabiona, one of the top leaders of the New People's Army was intercepted and arrested Tuesday together with Marvin Mata, deputy secretary of the Komiteng Rehiyonal-Negros, by 6th Regional Mobile Group troopers along the highway of Talisay City.

City Legal Officer Allan Zamora said Fabiona had been employed as a casual employee of City Hall during the Valdez administration since 2001. Fabiona, alias "Ka Turing and Kim," alleged intelligence officer of the KR-Negros, was released Thursday by the 6th RMG because he had no pending arrest warrant.*CGS

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3 injured, 2 nabbed
in maulings: police

Three persons were injured while two were arrested by the police in two mauling incidents in Bacolod City yesterday, the police said.

Christian Espagos, 21, of Zone 2, Gamboa Subdivision and Rhemar Almonacid, 17, of Zone 12, both in Talisay City, Negros Occidental were brought to the Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital in Bacolod City after sustaining multiple injuries, when they were manhandled by six unidentified persons in a restaurant at about 3 a.m. yesterday, police records showed.

The victims told the police that the suspects approached them while they were at People's Village at 22nd Lacson Streets, Bacolod City and hit them with beer bottles, stones, and belts.

They added that the guards at the restaurant did not do anything to protect them from their assailants, police reports said.

Espagos and Almonacid also told the police that the incident may have been connected with a misunderstanding they had with an unidentified woman who got angry with them, after they made a sign to call a taxi near the Riverside Medical Center, before they were mauled.

Meanwhile, Mariano Arimas, 67, and Jose Arimas, 30, both of Purok Hervias, Brgy. Villamonte, Bacolod City were arrested by Police Station 4 officers for allegedly mauling Louie Aldas, 49, at about 12:05 a.m. yesterday, police report said.

Aldas told the police that the two suspects and two others mauled him at about 9:45 p.m. Thursday after he told them not to stay in front of the shop where he is working because his employer has been reprimanding him about it. The two suspects are now detained at the Police Station 4 lock-up cell.*PP

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