Police capture wanted communist rebel at Pasay bus terminal
The arrested suspect in a hoodie shirt (Photo from SPD)
An alleged communist insurgent, described by authorities as high-ranking and one of Northern Samar's most wanted persons, was arrested at a bus terminal on Epifanio delos Santos Avenue (EDSA) in Pasay City, on Friday, April 17, the Southern Police District (SPD) reported.
SPD director Col. Glen Oliver Cinco identified the suspect as “Belho,” also known as “Yani,” 29, who ranks No. 8 on the Top 10 Most Wanted Persons list at the provincial level in Northern Samar.
Cinco said the rebel's capture was a result of a coordinated operation involving the Northern Samar Police Provincial Office, the SPD District Special Operations Unit (DSOU), and the District Intelligence Division, in service of a warrant of arrest.
The arrest warrant for attempted murder was issued by Judge Ricardo Estavillo Amos of the Regional Trial Court Branch 22 in Laoang, Northern Samar, on June 30, 2021, with recommended bail of P100,000.
Police said the suspect is as member of the Sub-Regional Guerrilla Unit (SRGU) under the Eastern Visayas Regional Party Committee (EVRPC) and was allegedly involved in a series of tactical offensives against government forces, including an ambush in Las Navas in 2018.
Records also showed that he was previously affiliated with the Special Partisan Unit (SPARU) and linked to several killings of CAFGU personnel in Northern Samar.
Cinco described the arrest as a significant gain in ongoing security operations targeting fugitives with insurgent ties.
The suspect was brought to the DSOU-SPD office for documentation, custodial debriefing, and further investigation into other possible criminal activities.