The New People's Army Roger Mahinay Command yesterday said the military and police have arrested those they called “innocent civilians” tagged as suspects in the assassination of PO3 Danilo Malones in Cauayan, Negros Occidental, despite positive identification by his wife and other witnesses.

Nilo Magtanggol, spokesman of the Roger Mahinay Command, said Russel Langcoyan, brothers Robert and Felipe Domdom, were arrested without warrants.

Senior Supt. Rosendo Franco, provincial police director, yesterday said he was not surprised by the claims of the NPA that those arrested were civilians, which is expected from them.

The Roger Mahinay Command claimed responsibility for the assassination of Malones on Feb. 8 at the public market of Brgy. Inayawan, Cauayan.

Franco said there was no need for an arrest warrant as it was part of their pursuit operations that resulted in the apprehension of the three suspects in Brgy. Lina-on, Cauayan, and the confiscation of a 9mm pistol.

Magtanggol, in a statement furnished to the DAILY STAR, also said called the surrender of Rico Domdom who was accompanied by his wife, Maribel, to the Cauayan police, “black propaganda”.

Malones was gunned down by two of three rebel hitmen, in front of his wife, Arnie, in Brgy. Inayawan, Cauayan, on Feb.8, police said.

Franco said they have other witnesses to prove, aside from eyewitness Arnie Malones that the arrested men were involved in the killing.

Senior Inspector Louie Figueroa, Cauayan police chief, said that Arnie positively identified Langcoyan as one of the two gunmen who shot her husband.

Magtanggol claimed the three assassins of Malones were able to evade captivity, despite the joint efforts of the 61 st Infantry Battalion, 614 th Provincial Mobile Group and the Cauayan police force.

He also asked the wife of Malones to stop linking civilians to the death of her husband.

Franco not only called the CPP-NPA as “killers” but also “robbers” citing the confiscation of the wallet containing cash of Malones, and his .45 caliber pistol.

The NPA Roger Mahinay Command-Southwest Guerilla Front claimed that Malones was a protector of robbery-hold-up group, engaged in “kotong” operations, mauling of civilians and the alleged killing of a certain Osting Salendron who was suspected to be a rebel, while he was still a member of the defunct Philippine Constabulary.

The admission of the NPA bolstered the claims of Lt. Col. Romeo Basco, 61 st IB commander, that the gunmen were members of the Special Partisan Unit of the New People's Army who were on a test mission.*GPB

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