Alleged NPA member nabbed in Manjuyod town, NegOr

Army troops arrested James Casusi Abrasaldo a suspected member of the New People’s Army in Negros Oriental. |Photo courtesy of the 94th Infantry Batallion

DUMAGUETE CITY, Negros Oriental- A 29-year-old suspected member of the New People’s Army (NPA) was arrested yesterday, February 23, 2020 in Barangay Lamogong, Manjuyod this province, a military report released only this afternoon, February 25, 2020, revealed.

Arrested by members of the 94th Infantry Mandirigma Battalion (94IB) is James Casusi Abrasaldo alias Roderick of the said barangay.

The report said First Lieutenant Abdulnasser Israel, Commanding Officer of the Bravo Company of the Mandirigma Battalion responded to a tip from a concerned citizen in the area about the presence of an alleged member of the NPA.

While the troops were approaching, the suspect allegedly attempted to run. However, he was cornered and captured by the responding troops.

The suspect was allegedly positively identified by the residents in the area as a member of the communist group. He then admitted his participation in the encounter between the members of the Bravo company at Sitio Cabangahan, Barangay Bantolinao in Manjuyod last October 3, 2019 wherein an improvised explosive device and other war materials were recovered.

Seized from the suspect was a fragmentation grenade.

Colonel Inocencio Pasaporte, 303rd Brigade Commander in a statement said the arrest of the suspect “clearly shows that our communities are already fed-up with the Communist Terrorist Group (CTG) who sow fear and continuously extort from the populace in the area. It also manifests the support of the people on the Whole-of-Nation approach of EO 70.”

Pasaporte added the rebels are not welcome in the area.

“I urged the people of Manjuyod and whole populace of Negros Oriental to continue reporting the presence of the NPAs in their communities in order for us to prevent their extortion and other terroristic activities,” Pasaporte added. /rcg