Mabalacat police turn over female activist to district jail

A FEMALE activist is now under the custody of Negros Occidental District Jail (NODJ) in Bago City.

Chief Inspector Castle Masip, warden of NODJ, confirmed to SunStar Bacolod Tuesday that Ruby Lacadman, 38, a native of La Carlota City, was committed to the jail on April 2.

The arrest warrant served against Lacadman was issued by Bacolod City Regional Trial Court Branch 46 to a certain “Ruby Palabrica” for murder.

The police then arrested Lacadman at her residence in Barangay Cacutud, Mabalacat City, Pampanga province on March 29. The crime was allegedly committed in Negros Occidental in 2010.

Masip said she has been wanted since 2013 but most of her companions were already released after they were able to post bail.

Meanwhile, Senior Superintendent Rodolfo Castil Jr., provincial director of Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office (Nocppo), said Mabalacat police brought Lacadman to Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG)–Negros Occidental for custody at Nocppo headquarters in Bacolod City for few days before she was moved to NODJ.

She was an alleged former member of New People’s Army (NPA), though the claim is still for verification.

Lacadman is an organizer of the urban poor group Kadamay, and has previously worked as barangay secretary in Cacutud village in Pampanga, then worked in a church-based program in Angeles City.

In a press statement, Kadamay and Karapatan slammed the arrest of Lacadman, claiming that she is not connected to any rebel or terrorist group.

Both groups also called out the authorities to release Lacadman.