TACLOBAN CITY - Another high profile member of the New People's Army (NPA) allegedly involved in the Inopacan massacre was arrested, the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG-8) announced Tuesday (September 22).
The accused was identified as Muco Lubong, also known as Venancio Lubong, and bearing the aliases Nathan, Nonoy, Ikit, Bebot, 57, a farmer, and a resident of Brgy. Campacion, Arteche, Eastern Samar.
He was wanted for 15 counts of murder by virtue of a warrant of arrest issued by judge Thelma Bunyi-medina, Presiding Judge of the National Capital Region Regional Trial Court Branch 32, along with the couple Benito and Wilma Tiamzon, Satur Ocampo, Vicente Ladlad, Randal Echaniz, Rafael Baylosis, Exusperado Lloren, and several others dated August 28, 2019 with no bail recommended.
He was arrested in a joint operation with Eastern Samar and Southern Leyte Police Provincial Intelligence Unit, Regional Intelligence Unit 8, PNP Special Action Force, 78 Army Infantry Battalion, Libagon and Arteche Municipal Police Stations.
Authorities said Lubong was allegedly part of the NPA operating in Leyte and Southern Leyte Provinces.
He was allegedly involved in the mass purging under the "Operation Venereal Disease” that killed more or less 300 people based on accounts of relatives and relatives sometime in the year 1985.
Skeletal remains of 67 individuals were unearthed from shallow graves at Subang Daku village in Inopacan town discovered by the Philippine Army on August 26, 2006.
Initial reports disclosed that the arrest was organized after a case build-up on the whereabouts of the accused.
Lubong was brought to Arteche Municipal Police Station for documentation and proper disposition.