(UPDATED) Authorities arrested a former rebel leader who heads a private armed group in northern Tuburan town, Cebu in a private subdivision in Cebu City, Friday morning.
Eduardo Sacamay, who is also known as Edgardo, was caught around 7 a.m. in a subdivision in Barangay Kasambagan.
Sacamay is a former New People's Army regional commander in Cebu in 1980 to 1990s. He heads the Sacamay Group which had "established itself as a menacing private armed group in northern Cebu, responsible for the liquidation of persons in recent years."
According to Senior Inspector Alejandro Batobalonos, of the Cebu Provincial Police Office, Sacamay's arrest was based on two murder charges.
CPPO operatives carried warrants of arrest issued by Tagbilaran City, Bohol Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 47 Judge Suceso Arcamo and Toledo City, Cebu RTC Branch 59 Judge Hermes Montero against Sacamay.
Sacamay was accused in 2016 for the murder of Tuburan, Cebu Mayor Democrito Diamante's supporter Rene Cangmaong.
Murder is a non-bailable offense.
Denial
Sacamay denied he is a murderer.
"Manok ug baboy ra gyoy napatay nako," he told reporters.
In 2008, he claimed that 25 cases (murder, frustrated murder, arson and simple rebellion) were dismissed by a court in Bohol.
Sacamay said he laughed when the CPPO operatives arrested him.
He also claimed he is a member of Kilusang Pagbabago (KP) Negros. KP was formed in 2016 to support President Rodrigo Duterte.
The CPPO operatives who arrested the former rebel commander are from Provincial Mobile Force Company led by Superintendent Rene Kyamko and Provincial Intelligence Branch led by Chief Inspector Christopher Rey Natnat, Senior Inspector Nazarino Emia and Batobalonos.