Barangay official allegedly supporting NPAs in Compostela Valley arrested

March 22, 2018

A barangay official believed to be a supporter of the New People’s Army (NPA) was arrested by government forces in Compostela Valley last Tuesday.

1Lt. Jhocel Asis, civil military operations officer of the Army’s 71st Infantry Batallion, on Thursday said the suspect was Oligario Dagohoy, chairman of Barangay Limbo in Maco town.

Asis said the troops were responding to the reported presence of armed men at the vicinity of Purok 3, Brgy Limbo in Maco when they encountered three alleged rebels around 10 am.

“After five minutes of firefight, said three armed men withdrew going to the northeast direction that prompted the troops to conduct pursuit operation,” he said.

Asis said during the pursuit operation the “troops chanced upon Dagohoy who was caught in the act of holding and hurriedly placing several firearms on a sack then attempted to place it on the chicken poultry situated beside his house.”

“It was immediately found out that such sack contained six units (of) caliber M16A1 rifles and two units (of) AK47 rifle, and subversive documents of the NPA were scattered at said poultry house,” he said.

Asis said a formal case of illegal possession of firearms was filed against the suspect after he failed to present permits.

Soldiers invited Dagohoy "to the battalion headquarters for further investigation and eventually turned over him to Maco police station for proper disposition.”

“On 21 March 2018, formal case was filed against Dagohoy for violating Republic Act (RA) 10591 known as Illegal Possession of Firearms,” he added.

Lieutenant Colonel Esteveyn Ducusin, battalion commander of the 71st IB said if this barangay official proven supporting the communist terrorist, aside from violation of RA 10591, he may also liable in violating RA No. 10168 otherwise known as “The Terrorism Financing Prevention and Suppression Act of 2002.” Robina Asido/DMS