by Rowena Joy Flores
A suspected high-ranking official of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) in Panay Island died in a police shootout in Pavia, Iloilo City, May 28.
Reynaldo Bocala, an alleged CPP-NPA finance officer in Panay, resisted arrest when members of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) came to serve him four warrants of arrest. His aide, Welly Epago Arguelles, was also killed during the gunfight.
“We introduced ourselves as members of the PNP, but they immediately hid and shot us... wala kaming magawa but to fire back. Nagkaputukan na,” Police Lt. Col. Gervacio Balmaceda said. (... we can do nothing but to fire back. The shootout began.)
According to Police Regional Office 6 (PRO6), the warrants issued to Bocala included robbery in band with frustrated homicide, robbery with physical injuries, arson and murder.
Two .45-caliber pistols were retrieved from the crime scene, along with subversive documents and cellphones.
Police said that his death would curb the activities of the group.
“Malaking kawalan sa kilusan ang pagkawala ni Bocala. It will impede their operations because he is the one managing the finances of KR-Panay,” Brig. Gen. Rolando Miranda said. (Bocala’s death is a big loss for the movement.)
“Bocala is a notorious terrorist, thus, his death is a victory not only for the government’s law enforcement operation but also for the people of Panay who suffered much from the cruelty of the communist terrorists,” said Major Gen. Eric Vinoya in a press release.
Bocala is the husband of Maria Concepcion “Concha '' Araneta, the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) spokesperson in Panay and also the deputy secretary of Komiteng Rehiyon - Panay (KR-P).
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