Slain cop's pistol recovered from arrested rebel leader

THE Glock 9mm pistol of a slain Negrense official was recovered recently by authorities in Negros Oriental from one of the arrested rebels.

Officials from the Negros Oriental Police Provincial Office (NORPPO) said the Glock 9mm pistol was the service firearm of the late Police Lieutenant Colonel Arnel Arpon, who was the chief of police of Guihulngan Philippine National Police.

Arpon, who was from Hinoba-an, was among the five cops who were killed in July 2017, when their convoy was ambushed by New People's Army (NPA) rebels in Sitio Mandi-e, Barangay Magsaysay, Guihulngan City.

Based on the information provided by NORPPO, the Glock 9mm pistol was recovered from NPA leader Adidas Acero on September 20, when joint operatives from NORPPO, the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office, and the 303rd Infantry Brigade, Philippine Army served an arrest warrant for charges of illegal possession of firearms and explosives.

Aside from Acero, suspected high-ranking NPA leaders alias "Baldo BJ," vice commander of the Front Operational Command, and Nona Espinosa, alias "Ava/Jelay," deputy front secretary of Central Negros 1 Front, Komiteng Rehiyon-Negros Cebu Bohol Siquijor, who have eight warrants of arrest for various crimes were also arrested.

Other individuals arrested were identified as Lea Canja Niles, Xian Flores Batiken, Rodrigo Himino Benlot, Felix Baquilta Policher, Analyn Matusada Flores, Crispin T. Diano and Juravilla Eno Baloy.

Colonel Inocencio Pasaporte, commander of the 393rd Brigade, said three years after the massacre of Arpon and his men, they have finally given him justice.

Pasaporte said Acero and Espinosa must answer for the heinous incident.

"As the Proverb saying goes, 'The long arm of the Law is bound to catch you' and justice will be served to the victims.' They should pay for all their evil acts especially in claiming the lives of a dedicated police officer and his men while serving their duty in securing the peace and safety of Guihulngan City," Pasaporte said.

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