Nine persons died while 17 others believed to be members of the communist terrorist group (CTG) New People’s Army (NPA) were arrested following simultaneous joint operations conducted by the Police Regional Office (PRO-6) and the Criminal Investigation (CIDG) in Tapaz, Capiz and in Calinog, Iloilo on Wednesday, Dec. 30.

The operations were meant to carry out 28 search warrants, said CIDG Western Visayas chief Lt. Col. Gervacio Balmaceda in a press conference held in Tapaz municipal police station and carried live through Facebook by several local radio stations.

“They were alleged as members of the CTGs based on information gathered in the area even before the application of the search warrants. They were in possession of firearms in the area,” he added.

In an official statement read by Balmaceda, the PRO-6 confirmed that seven of those arrested were from Calinog. Three suspects were from Barangay Masaroy and four from Barangay Garangan.

In Tapaz, those arrested were from Barangays Roosevelt with four, Tacayan with two, and one suspect each from Lahug, Aglinab, Acuña, and Nayawan.

The suspects who died were from Barangays Lahug with three, two in Layawan and one each from Tacayan, Aglinab, Acuña, and Daan Sur.

The operations were part of the regular law enforcement activities, which aim to curb the proliferation of firearms and explosives in Western Visayas, he said.

Balmaceda added that it was done in line with the CIDG Oplan Paglalansag.

A total of 28 individuals were subjects of the search warrants. However, Balmaceda said that they could not yet release the exact names of those arrested and fatalities as they have yet to be verified.

They hoped to gather the profile of those who died possibly by Thursday.

He said that based on the initial reports of their team leaders on the ground, the suspects, who were subjects of the search warrants, fired at the law enforcement teams.

The CIDG added that they have yet to know the circumstances in response to claims of the relatives of those who died that they did not fight back when the search warrants were being served.

Balmaceda said they have yet to compile the complete reports of their team leaders.

The Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA), which has been waging a five-decade armed struggle against the government, is listed as a terrorist organization by the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the Philippines.Perla Lena/PNA

Photo by RMN-Iloilo