Two suspected members of the Communist New People's Army were arrested Tuesday afternoon in Sitio Kalukdohan, Barangay Enrique Villanueva in Sibulan, Negros Oriental.

They were identified as Julito Rizaldo Alban alias Ka Budoy, 35, married and a resident of Bohol province, and Benjamin Quimada Edoloverio, 25, single, of Talamban, Cebu.

Lt. Col. Nestor Porlucas, commanding officer of the 79th IB of the Philippine Army, said that his men acted on reports coming from Provincial Police Director S/Supt. Melvin Ramon Buenafe that there were sighting of armed men in the vicinity of Barangay Enrique Villanueva.

Troopers of the Alpha Company of the 79th IB, led by 2Lt. Romualdo Rubi, swooped down on Alban and Edoloverio and arrested them about 5 p.m. Tuesday.

Recovered were a .9MM handgun with two magazine clips and eight rounds of live ammunitions, a pair of scissors, personal effects, a driver's license, a black bag, and dried tobacco leaves, among others.

Porlucas said both suspects are believed to be members of the NPA's Komiteng Rehiyonal Sentral Bisayas who had arrived in Negros Oriental in November last year.

Ablan and Edoloverio were also reported to be with a group of about 18 people who were first seen at Enrique Villanueva last March 27, Porlucas added.

Porlucas said residents had reported the presence of these men who were not known in the area, but who were allegedly going to houses and asking for food.

The suspects are said to be engaged in the IPO (ideological, political and organizational) structure of the NPA, and are now actively campaigning in the hinterlands of Negros Oriental as part of the expansion program of the rebel movement.

Ablan and Edoloverio’s group was first sighted in Jantianon, Amlan town and was reportedly moving in the boundaries of Sibulan, Valencia, Pamplona and Sta. Catalina.

In an interview, "Ka Budoy" acknowledged ownership of the handgun and said he carried it for "self-defense".

Both of them also admitted being NPA members and said they were into community organizing, although they also said they were not able to establish their mass base here yet.

Edoloverio said he has been with the movement for only five years and had not known Ablan until the day of their arrest, when both were paired for their "mission".

Ablan said he was recruited to the NPA in recent years and was trained in Bohol on community organizing.

He said their unit was called "Ivory" but denied they were members of the NPA's KRSB.

Meanwhile, Buenafe said charges of rebellion with illegal possession of firearms and ammunition will be filed against the suspects.

Buenafe expressed gratitude to the people in the hinterlands for cooperating with the law enforcers and reporting to them the presence of people unknown to them in their area.

Ablan, trying to hold back tears, said he is prepared to face the music and will fight for his cause and what he has always believed in.

He said he was lured to join the rebel movement because of the depressing conditions in the country today.

"Ka Budoy" claims that he and Edoloverio were mauled by the soldiers who arrested them, pointing to his broken lip.

The two are the first suspected NPA rebels to be arrested by the 79th IB following its arrival in Negros Oriental in February.*JG

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