Col. Pio Diñoso III, commander of the 79th Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army based in Siaton, Negros Oriental, has invited representatives from the Commission on Human Rights and Karapatan, to act as observers while Marilyn Badayos, believed to be the highest ranking leader of a New People’s Army guerilla front in Negros Oriental, is being treated for a perceived gunshot wound.

Diñoso said the presence of the CHR and the Karapatan will ensure that Badayos’ rights are not violated.

Badayos, suspected to be the secretary of the NPA’s Komiteng Rehiyonal Sentral Bisayas-South East Front operating in central and southern Negros Oriental, was arrested by a joint team of military and police personnel in Bacolod City, Saturday, by virtue of warrants of arrest issued by judges in Negros Occidental and Negros Oriental for murder and rebellion.

Badayos has a wound on her elbow, which, Diñoso said, she sustained during an encounter between government troops and NPA rebels in Sitio Avocado, Barangay Talalak in Sta. Catalina, Negros Oriental, on May 3.

She, however, denied this, saying the wound was a result of a road accident.

Diñoso said Badayos had fled from Negros Oriental to “recuperate” in Negros Occidental after the May 3 encounter.

Badayos had allegedly taken over the highest ranking position of the KRSB-SEF after her brother, Danilo Badayos and another suspected NPA rebel, Ricky de la Cruz, were arrested at a department store in downtown Dumaguete in October.

Diñoso said the KRSB-SEF KRSB-SEF is facing a vacuum in leadership with the arrest of Badayos and the guerilla front is now in “disarray” due to pressure from relentless military operations and the absence of a commander.

He, however, also said that, based on intelligence reports, a new front secretary has already been named, but declined to identify the person.*JFP

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