A militant group leader, linked to the raid of a fish farm owned by the nephew of Negros Occidental Governor Alfredo Marañon Jr. in Sagay City last year, was apprehended by the police at the Bacolod City downtown area at about 3 p.m. yesterday.

Senior Supt. Ricardo de la Paz identified the suspect as Christian Tuayon, secretary general of the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan-Negros.

De la Paz said Tuayon was arrested by joint operatives of the Philippine National Police Intelligence Group, Bacolod City Police and the Army’s Intelligence group by virtue of an arrest warrant for robbery in band issued by Regional Trial Court Judge Renato Muñez, who set his bail at P40,000.

Tuayon called his arrest political harassment saying he was not given due process. He said that he did not know that a robbery case had been filed against him as he was not issued any subpoena. He is also questioning the apprehending officers, who were not in uniform when the arrest happened, he said.

Tuayon is now in the custody of Police Station 1 and is set to post bail today.

About 25 armed men believed to be members of the New People’s Army swooped down on the fish farm of Joseph Edgar Sarrosa in Brgy. Bulanon, Sagay City, at about 10 p.m. on July 16 last year, disarmed the watchmen of their firearms that included two M-14 assault rifles, an M-16 armalite rifle, a 12-gauge shotgun and a homemade .22 caliber revolver, and wallets and cellular phones of fishpond workers, and took an ICOM base radio.

Former Sagay City police chief, Supt. Harold Tuzon said the rebels ordered the watchmen and fishpond workers not to resist, as they were only interested in the high-powered firearms.*APN

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