AUTHORITIES arrested a suspected bomb expert and one other member of the New People's Army (NPA) on Wednesday morning, August 2, in Barangay Kiburiao, Quezon town, Bukidnon.
Captain Joe Patrick Martinez, spokesperson of Army's 4th Infantry Division (4ID), identified the suspects as Ruel Cololot, the alleged NPA bomb expert, and a certain Ramil Cololot, also a member of the communist rebels.
Martinez said the army soldiers responded to a report that a group of NPA rebels were allegedly harassing the residents in said area.
When the troops arrived, a firefight ensued that lasted for about 5 minutes. The other NPA soldiers were able to escape, but not the Cololots.
Recovered from their possession are an identification card of Anakpawis Partylist, one 57 recoilless rifle, 19 IEDs, 1 Glock Caliber 40, wires, and other IED components, detonating chords, switch boxes, 2 laptops, ammunitions, and subversive documents.
Major General Benjamin Madrigal, 4ID commanding officer, said the arrest was a result of the intensified operations of the army against the NPA rebels.
"Tuluy-tuloy yung operations natin against NPA to counter yung sinasabi nilang opensiba," he said.
The two rebels are now under custody of the Army's 1st Special Forces Battalion.
