PHILIPPINE National Police Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG) director, Major General Albert Ignatius D. Ferro on Wednesday reported the killing of a wanted CPP/NDF/NPA in Southern Mindanao following a gunbattle with officers in Polomolok, South Cotabato.

In a report to PNP chief, General Guillermo Lorenzo T. Eleazar, the official identified the slain suspect as Ernie Tabañag Peñaranda alias ‘John Nebris Omega/Parts/Bords/Abay/Pards.’

Ferro said members of the CIDG Regional Field Unit 11 and the CIDG South Cotabato Provincial Field Unit, joined by operatives from the Police Regional Office 12(PRO12), the Army’s 5th Special Forces Battalion and 11th Intelligence Security Unit tried to arrest the suspect inside his residence on Block 4 Londres Village in Cannery Site, Polomolok past 1 p.m. Monday.

The suspect, who is wanted for kidnapping with serious illegal detention and robbery-in-band tried to escape while firing his gun at the lawmen prompting officers to retaliate. He was hit in the body and died while being taken to a local hospital.

Ferro said that recovered from the possession of the slain suspect were a chamber-loaded caliber .45 pistol with a magazine containing three live ammunition.

The official said the suspect is the subject of a warrant of arrest for kidnapping with serious illegal detention issued by Judge Milanio Guerrero of the Tacurong City Regional Trial Court Branch 20 with no bail recommended.

Judge Jill Rose Jaugan-Lo of the Davao City RTC Branch also issued two separate warrants of arrest for robbery-in-band against the suspect in 2019.

Maj. Gen. Ferro also reported the arrest of another suspected ranking CPP/NPA officer he identified as Pamela Guides-Peñaranda alias ‘Manang Yani/Melai’

The official described the two suspects as members of the CPP/NPA Southern Mindanao Regional Party Committee operating in Southern Mindanao.

The slain suspect was tagged as an intelligence officer of the rebel movement while the woman was acting as their secretary.

The 52-year old woman was arrested along Dalia Street, Barangay Poblacion, Polomolok on the basis of a warrant for murder issued by Judge Sharon Rose Saracin of the Tagum City RTC Branch 30 in Davao del Norte.

Ferro said the suspect yielded a fragmentation grenade, a pack of electronic wirings wrapped in a plastic bubble wrap and several identification cards.

“Ikinalulungkot po natin ang pagkasawi ni Peñaranda. Hindi po natin nais na may mangyaring ganitong mga insidente habang tayo ay nagsasagawa ng ating operasyon kung saan ang ating suspect pati na ang ating mga kapulisan ay malagay sa peligro,“ the PNP-CIDG director said.

The arrested suspect will be facing non-bailable charges for illegal possession of explosives.