CABANATUAN CITY – Combined police and military forces arrested two youths who suspected of serving as guides to the communist rebels’ platoon in Nueva Ecija and Nueva Vizcaya.
This, after the main subject of the search warrant the lawmen were supposed to serve, one Ely Taray alias Omeng, eluded arrest in Barangay TL Padilla, Carranglan, Nueva Ecija Saturday. Reports from the military said that Gerald Salonga alias Matt and Guiller Cadano alias Christian allegedly yielded two .9mm pistols with 34 rounds of ammunition, two hand grenades and “voluminous subversive documents.”
The operation was reportedly conducted by joint operatives from the Philippine National Police’s Provincial Public Safety Company, Criminal Investigation and Detection Team-Nueva Ecija Field Office and the 3rd Infantry Battalion under one Col. Santos, commander of the 703rd Brigade at about 6 p.m Saturday.
The duo have been placed under the custody of CIDG for filing of cases. Capt. Mark Ruelos, information officer of the Army’s 7th Infantry Division, described the operation as “legitimate” conducted jointly by the PNP and the 7ID “to ensure that the warrant of arrest of Ely Taray alias Omeng will be served.”
“The 7ID strictly adheres to the rule of law, human rights and international humanitarian law,” Ruelos added. “Rest assured that the two suspects who were arrested during the serving of warrant of arrest are in good condition and under the custody of CIDG- NE for appropriate filing of case,” he added.
A separate report showed two organizers of Kabataan Partylist Central Luzon/ Anakbayan CL by the names Gerald Salonga and Guiller Cadano, both students of University of the Philippines, were “abducted” in the town by armed men on board a red van and two white pick-ups, identified as elements of the Army’s 3IB.
Under detention, the duo said they were in Carranglan only to organize farmers who will be affected by a road project.
