Lt. Col. Romeo Basco, commanding officer of the 61st Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army, yesterday denied accusations by a militant farmers' group that one of its members was illegally arrested and detained by Army soldiers in Sta. Catalina town in Negros Oriental.

Basco was referring to a press statement by the Kilusang Mambubukid ng Pilipinas that said one of its members, Flaviano Arante, a member of the Nagkahiusang Mag-uuma sa Sta. Catalina or the municipal chapter of Kaugmaon-KMP, was apprehended in Sitio Lagasan, Barangay Nagbinlod in Sta. Catalina, on January 25.

Bascosaid they had invited Arante to come to their detachment in Nagbinlod for questioning, and it was then that he admitted to being a former member of the New People's Army operating in the southeastern part of Negros .

Basco also expressed surprise over the real age of Arante, because the KMP statement, which was published in the DAILY STAR, said that the man was 60.

Basco said Arante, also known as alias Johnny, told them he was only 53.

Arante had reportedly confessed to the military of being a courier of the NPA southeastern front, Basco said.

He also claimed to have joined the rebel movement in 2006 but decided to lie low in May 2007 due to his old age, Basco added.

Arante also claimed that his house in Nagbinlod was being used as a "stop-over" of rebels and as a stocking area for their firearms.

"We were courteous with him, we just invited him for questioning, and we let him go later," Basco said. He added that Arante has returned to his home in Nagbinlod.

Basco said another former rebel, a certain alias Celio, who used to be assigned to the group of Boboy de la Cruz alias Ka Jimlan, had helped the military identify Arante.

He said the KMP press statement was not new to them, and called it another propaganda by the left to discredit the Armed Forces.

In a press statement yesterday, KMP secretary-general Danilo Ramos claimed that Arante was forced to guide military troopers during their counter-insurgency operations.

Basco assured that his men observe proper courtesy and show respect for human rights even as they continue with their primary roles in anti-insurgency operations in Negros . *JG

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