NDF consultant arrested in Davao: military

February 6, 2017

A consultant of the National Democratic Front (NDF) was captured in Davao City on Monday after President Rodrigo Duterte’s order to arrest jailed leftist leaders as peace talks were terminated last Saturday.

Captain Rhyan Batchar, spokesman of the Army’s 10 infantry Division, said the arrested NDF consultant as Ariel Arbitrario alias Marlon.

He said Arbitrario was with Roderick Manuyac alias Coco when they were arrested in a checkpoint operation of Task Force Davao at the vicinity of Brgy Sirawan, Toril, Davao City around9am.

Batchar said Arbitrario was arrested in response to the directives of the president to apprehend the leaders of the communist group who were released to participate in the peace negotiations.

“He was arrested because of the pronouncement of President Duterte, because Arbitrario was released to participate on peace talk, so there six months have already lapsed, so they need to be arrested,” Batchar said.

Batchar said the companion of Arbitrario has a standing warrant of arrest.

“Manuyac has a standing warrant of arrest on charges of murder issued by Judge Virginia Tehano – Ang,” he said.

Batchar confirmed Manuyac is a member of New People’s Army (NPA).

However, Col. Edgard Arevalo, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) spokesman, denied that the apprehension of Arbitrario has nothing to do with the order announced by the president.

“The incident this morning in our checkpoint in Sarawan, Toril was the apprehension of Rhoderick Manuyac, a criminal wanted for murder, he has a standing warrant of arrest. It so happened the person was travelling with a certain Mr. Ariel Arbitrario,” he said.

“Our action was in response to the information coming from concerned citizens regarding the whereabouts of this criminal who is at large but has a standing warrant of arrest, it has nothing to do with pronouncement of the president,” he added.

Arevalo said the arrested individuals are under the custody of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group of the PNP for proper disposition.

Batchar said an encounter with members of NPA was reported at the vicinity of Sitio Kisoy, Brgy. Little Baguio, Malitay in Davao Occidental around 10:20 am of the same day with no casualties recorded.

In a law enforcement operation, joint military and police forces arrested two other NPA officers identified as Lito Elmidolan, a technical staff, and his wife Maria Bella, who is a finance staff of the rebel group.

The suspects were arrested at vicinity Ozamiz Port, Misamis Occidental at around 3:30 pm last Saturday by virtue of warrant of arrest for multiple attempted murders issued by RTC 10th Judicial Region, Branch 6, Prosperidad Agusan del Sur

The couple were brought to Philippine National Police in Ozamiz for booking and documentation.

Batchar said rebels also torched the packing plant of Dole at the vicinity of Sitio Sto. Nino in Brgy. Ara Ibo, Pantukan, Compostela Valley around 9:35 pm last Sunday.

He said no casualties were recorded while the damage to facilities has reached to more or less one million pesos.

The military also recorded three encounters in Surigao City and Agusan del Norte on Sunday and in Iloilo last Saturday but there were no recorded casualties. Robina Asido/DMS