REALLY ‘heartbreaking’ is how PNP chief General Benjie Acorda described the killing of a policeman in a gunbattle in Bilar, Bohol last Friday, which also resulted in the death of five heavily-armed New People’s Army rebels including a 2022 Bar passer.

“Our deepest condolences go out to the family of Police Corporal Gilbert Amper who made the ultimate sacrifice, and we offer our prayers for the swift recovery of Patrolman Gerard Rollon, who was injured during the operation. This heartbreaking incident serves as a stark reminder of the inherent risks faced by our law enforcement officers in the line of duty,” the top cop said.

The PNP chief also debunked claims by some quarters that the Bohol operation was ‘staged-managed. “It was very unfortunate na one of our policemen died and one was wounded. Siguro naman, masyado naman kung i-sasacrifice natin ang buhay ng isang miyembro ng kapulisan just to draw an encounter,” Gen. Acorda said.

The PNP chief said they are mourning the loss of Cpl. Amper whom he described as a ‘hero’ during the intelligence-driven Joint Enhanced Military Operation in Bohol last February 23.

The operation aimed to execute a warrant of arrest against Domingo Compoc, also known as Cobra, on charges of murder, attempted murder, and attempted homicide.

However, a firefight broke out between the government troops and the guerrillas when the NPA band started shooting at the approaching lawmen. According to Police Regional Office 7 director Brigadier Gen. Anthony Aberin, the Bohol clash erupted as police and military troops served a warrant of arrest against a ranking NPA leader monitored to be hiding in Purok Matin-ao in Barangay Campagao, Bilar municipality.

Five NPA members identified as Domingo Compoc alias ‘Ka Silong,’ described as a squad leader of the CPP/NPA Bohol Party Committee; Parlido Segovia alias ‘Ka Aldrin,’ one Marlon alias ‘Ka Darwin,’ Hannah Joy Cesista alias ‘Ka Maya/Lean’ and one ‘Ka Juaning’, were killed in the operation.

The Communist Party of the Philippines has confirmed that the five slain persons were indeed armed combatant, one of them Hannah Jay Cesista, who reportedly passed the 2022 Bar Examinations but did not take her lawyers’ oath.

However, the rebels managed to shoot Cpl. Amper, who was pronounced dead upon arrival at the Congressman Simeon Toribio Memorial Hospital. Cpl. Rollon was also wounded during the gunfight and was also taken to the same hospital being transferred to another hospital in Tagbilaran City in Bohol for further treatment under heavy guard.

Brig. Gen. Aberin said the five slain guerrillas were identified as remnants of the CPP/NPA Bohol Party Committee. He said that Compoc was also identified as a former commanding officer of the NPA’s Sandatahang Yunit Pampropaganda who has been listed as the Top 1 Most Wanted Person in Bohol.

Segovia on the other hand was described as an assistant squad leader and political guide of the same rebel group while the three others were all squad members. Recovered from the possession of the slain suspects were one M-16 Baby Armalite, one R4 M-16 automatic rifle, one M-16 rifle, three caliber .45 semi-automatic pistols and several loaded magazines.

Gen. Acorda said amid the continuing surrender of NPA members in the countryside, it it is imperative to emphasize the importance of encouraging remaining insurgents to renounce violence and prevent further tragedies like the recent loss of Cesista.

“Despite achieving the distinction of being a Bar passer, she tragically chose the path of armed struggle. It is crucial that we unite our efforts to proactively deter the deception and recruitment of students into the ranks of the NPA and other terrorist organizations,” Gen. Acorda said.

5 PNP GENERALS AWARDED FOR KILLING OF BICOL’S MOST WANTED

On a personal note, i would like to congratulate five PNP generals and four colonels who were given medals by Gen. Acorda on Monday for their role in an intelligence-driven operation in Parañaque City which led in the killing of a former NPA rebel-turned Bicol’s most wanted criminal last January 24.

Given the PNP Medalya ng Katangitanging Gawa or PNP Outstanding Achievement Medal were National Capital Region Police Office director Major Gen. Tateng Nartatez; PNP Director for Intelligence Major Gen. Roberto Alexander Morico II; PNP Director for Research and Development Brigadier Gen. Patrick Obinque; PNP Intelligence Group director Brig. Gen. Romy Macapaz; and PRO5 director Brig. Gen. Andre Dizon.

Two other PNP-DI officers, Colonel Noel Ponollera and Lieutenant Colonel Raymund Train, also received the same award from the PNP chief on Monday’s flag-raising rites at Camp Crame. On the other hand, Col. Jeric Villanueva, of the PNP-IG, and Lt. Col. Dante Bernale, of the Regional Intelligence Unit 5, received the PNP Medalya ng Kagalingan or PNP Medal of Merit.

The five police generals got the award for their ‘distinguished service and exemplary leadership’ during the implementation of the PNP Coplan: Iron which led in the killing of Gilbert Saysay Concepcion, an ex-NPA rebel who was eventually recruited by the Philippine Army until he became an Army deserter and formed an organized crime gang in Bicol region.

The Concepcion Gang gained notoriety for its involvement in gun-for-hire, robbery-extortion, rape, gunrunning and armed partisan activities in Albay, Camarines Sur and other adjacent provinces and as far as Metro Manila.

Col. Ponollera and Lt. Col. Train were awarded for their ‘eminently meritorious and invaluable services rendered’ as members of the build-up and actual implementation of Coplan: Iron in Sitio de Asis in Barangay San Martin de Porres in Parañaque City which led in the killing of Concepcion and another armed cohort identified as Laeco Josie Saysay.

Concepcion is the subject of a non-bailable warrant of arrest for two counts of kidnapping, three counts of kidnapping and serious illegal detention, direct assault and rape.

I have been privy to a number of intelligence operations to neutralize the suspect since the early 2000 although he managed to escape capture during those operations. The former NPA rebel-turned Army deserter has gained prominence for being a ‘Robin Hood’ in his community and is known to have enjoyed the support of some local politicians who kept him and his men under their payroll.

When he was still the Bicol police director, now Lieutenant Gen. Jonnel Estomo, of the Area Police Command-Western Mindanao, launched a major operation to get the suspect. A number of operations against Concepcion turned bloody as the suspect and his men exchanged fire with government troops. Several henchmen of Concepcion were killed as a result of those operations.

Many other former Bicol police directors also plotted to neutralize him but his end finally came with the entry into the PRO5 of Brig. Gen. Obinque and Brig. Gen. Dizon, the official who replaced the latter and continued the operation to get Concepcion with the help of different PNP intelligence units.

AUTHOR PROFILE

Alfred P. Dalizon