AN ALLEGED leader of the Abraham Bannawagan Command under the Kilusang Larangang Guerilla (KLG) Baggas of the New People’s Army was arrested in Kalinga province for robbery and murder charges.

Arnold Tongdo Tumbali alyas Diway, 46, single from Balbalan, Kalinga was arrested in Barangay Lanna, Tabuk City on March 21 by joint personnel of the Kalinga Police Provincial Office (KPPO), Philippine Army, Regional Intelligence Division of the Police Regional Office–Cordillera (RID PRO–Cor) and Regional Intelligence Unit (RIU14).

Newly installed PRO–Cor Regional Director Israel Ephraim Dickson commended the swift response of the operatives for the arrest of the above rebel after a week of his assumption.

“The police and the military will not put down our guards in the anti-communist drive and we vow to speed up the process of defeating insurgency in the country especially here the in Cordillera,” Dickson said.

Tumbali is the alleged vice squad leader of Section Committee 1 of the Abraham Bannawagan Command under KLG Baggas operating in the province of Kalinga, particularly Balbalan and Pinukpuk.

The alleged NPA leader is known for his involvement in a series of atrocities in the provinces of Apayao and Kalinga and is listed in the fourth quarter Periodic Status Report on Threat Groups for 2018.

Tumbali was charged for double murder with multiple frustrated murder, nine counts of murder with no bail recommended, another case of frustrated murder with a recommended bail bond of P200,000, and robbery with violence against persons with a recommended bail bond of P100,000.