Police and military capture NPA hit squad head in Agusan del Norte

December 30, 2018

The most wanted member of the New People's Army in Agusan del Norte and top two in the list of criminals in the province was captured by joint elements of the Army and Philippine National Police (PNP)  in Barangay Tagcatong, Carmen, Agusan del Norte around 4:30am Sunday. In a report by PNP Caraga regional director Chief Superintendent Gilbert Cruz, captured was Joaquin Madrinian, commanding officer of the Special Partisan Unit (Sparu) and intel officer of the North Central Mindanao Regional Committee. Sparu is the NPA's hit squad He was captured by the joint elements of the  23rd Infantry Battalion which is under the operational control of the 402nd Infantry Brigade base in Bancasi, Butuan, personnel of Provincial Police Office of Agusan del Norte, 1st Agusan del Norte Provincial Mobile Force Company and regional criminal invstigation group. Confiscated in his possession are one-unit cal. 45 pistol with one magazine and 22 rounds of live ammunition for cal.45, one hand grenade and one piece sling bag. Madrinian has several warrants of arrest for multiple attempted murder, kIllings of indigenous people and local officials, including Loreto Mayor Dario Otaza in 2015 at Loreto town He was also one of the alleged perpetrators of the 2014 ambush of Agusan del Norte Gov. Ma Angelica Rosedell Amante-Matba in Nasipit. DMS