NBI 6 nabs ‘NPA’ in
extort spree
By FLORENCE HIBIONADA, Philippine News Service
March 8, 2011
ILOILO, Philippines –
A self-proclaimed member of communist terrorist group New People’s
Army (NPA) was arrested by operatives of the National Bureau of
Investigation (NBI) Western Visayas Regional Office 6 (WEVRO6).
Believed to be behind
the series of extortion letters sent out to businessmen in Southern
Iloilo, caught was June Tenerife of E.B. Magalona, Negros Occidental.
The 35 year-old
suspect was led by one of his victims into an NBI-WEVRO 6 entrapment
operation in Sitio Sinigidan, Barangay Tenyente Benito in Tubungan,
Iloilo. Tenerife has set up temporary residence in said barangay
following his marriage to a local resident.
NBI WEVRO 6 operatives
successfully made the arrest early Monday evening without any
incident. Among the recoveries were a .45 caliber pistol, five live
ammunitions and various Identification Cards bearing Tenerife’s
various identities.
ABS-CBN Iloilo’s John
Fernandez in a report gathered that among the suspect’s victim was a
rice trader in the area with the demand made in an extortion letter.
Same NPA-reasoning of “revolutionary tax” was used by the NPA-wannabe
with follow-up demand made via a text message.
The NBI-WEVRO 6 is
consolidating evidences that has built up against
Tenerife and will be used in filing corresponding complaints.
Among the charges to be filed are extortion, illegal possession of
firearms and grave threats.
NBI WEVRRO 6 Regional
Director Elfren Meneses Jr. decided to withhold the identity of the
victim for security reasons.
Incidentally, NPA
extortion cum demand for “revolutionary tax” is prevalent in Southern
Iloilo with known NPA-infiltrated hinterland barangays here. The
Municipality of Tubungan for its part has since been subject of NPA
attacks particularly cellular site towers of major telecommunication
companies.
Tenerite upon his
arrest though has reportedly clarified his supposed NPA membership
denying the extortion charge while admitting ownership of the gun
recovered.
Bureau insiders told
Philippine News Service (PNS) that the suspect is also believed to be
operating alone.