Friday, June 15, 2007 Yes, Mata is Mondia’s supporter: Franco By Nicolas C. Delfin
ARRESTED rebel Marvin “Bong” Mata was confirmed to have worked with defeated Pulupandan mayoralty candidate Samson Mondia.
This was confirmed on Thursday by no less than Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office (Noppo) director Rosendo Franco and National Bureau of Investigation (NBI)-Bacolod chief Mamerto Cortez.
But on the allegation of Mondia’s rival, Mayor-elect Magdaleno Peña that Mata is one among those who ambushed him and his convoys at Gil Montilla Street, Barangay Zone 4 in Pulupandan town on May 30, this remains to be proven yet.
Mata along with Arturo “Turing” Pabiona was arrested in a checkpoint along the highway in the boundary of Bacolod and Talisay Tuesday morning.
Upon seeing his face on television, Peña claimed that Mata is one among those who ambushed him and his men, resulting to death of his driver Jose Moril Merced and body guard Ronnie Boy Gegavine.
Mata is the third highest ranking officer of Komiting Rehiyonal Negros (KRN) of the Communists Party of the Philippines - New People’s Army (CPP-NPA).
He is also reportedly the chief of the NPA’s hit squad known as the urban sparrow unit.
He however denied allegation, saying that since 2002, he already distanced himself from the underground movement.
Police investigation however revealed that Mata was also tagged as among the suspects who attacked the New Bacolod (Silay) Airport in Bagtic, Silay on October 8 last year.
He was also facing several criminal charges in court like in San Carlos City Regional Trial Court (RTC) after he was also implicated as one of the suspects who raided the Malasibog Detachment of the Police’s Provincial Mobile Group in Escalante City on March 19 also last year.
Mata is still detained at the Police’s Regional Mobile Group 6 Headquaters at Camp Aniceto Lacson in Victorias City while investigation against him is still going on.
