BACOLOD CITY – A New People’s Army (NPA) rebel wanted for frustrated murder was arrested by government forces in Sitio Sais, Barangay Buenavista, Himamaylan City, Negros Occidental on Tuesday, February 6.
Elmer Quillano, alias Digoy and Onie of Barangay Buenavista, was the finance and logistics officer of the Sentro de Grabidad (SDG) platoon of the dismantled Central Negros 2 (CN2), Komiteng Rehiyon-Negros Cebu Bohol Siquijor (KR-NCBS), according to the Army.
His warrant of arrest for seven counts of frustrated murder was issued by Presiding Judge Walter Zorilla of the Regional Trial Court Branch 55 in Himamaylan City, dated September 26, 2023.
The court recommended P200,000 bail for each count or a total of P1.4 million for the suspect's temporary liberty.
The Army 3rd Infantry Division said Quillano is the brother of Elbert, a leader of the SDG platoon, who was killed along with his wife in an encounter with the 94th Infantry Battalion (IB) in Barangay Buenavista in April 2022.
Major Gen. Marion Sison, 3rd ID commander, said the neutralization of remnants of dismantled guerilla fronts of the NPA in Negros through Law Enforcement Support Operations (LESO) manifests the strong inter-agency coordination and collaboration between the Army and police.
“We are close to our goal of liberating Negros from the influence of the NPA,” Sison said in a statement.
As many of them are reportedly seeking refuge in civilian communities, we will expect and anticipate more of this joint LESO resulting in apprehension of NPA members, he added.
Sision said that they are doing this to ensure that all NPA members are neutralized in time for the declaration of Negros Island in a state of Stable Internal Peace and Security by the first quarter of this year.
Last month, authorities also apprehended another NPA remnant of CN2 wanted for frustrated murder.