A suspected New People's Army leader arrested Wednesday was tagged as one of the masterminds behind the assassination of a breakaway rebel faction official-turned-Kagawad Jose Salve in Cauayan, Negros Occidental last month.

Lt. Col. Ricardo Bayhon, 61 st Infantry Battalion commander, also said yesterday that the rebel leader identified as Arturo Moleta was arrested by a combined team of policemen and Army soldiers.

He said Moleta goes by several aliases such as Tero, Arnel and Kulas, and has served as the secretary of the Komiteng Larangan-South West in southern Negros Occidental.

Military records show that Moleta, 55, is facing string of criminal complaints in court, including charges of rebellion, attempted and frustrated murder, before the Himamaylan Regional Trial Court.

Bayhon said Moleta, acting as KLSW secretary, was among those masterminded the killing of Salve, alias Ka Simon, a party leader of the Rebolusyonaryong Partido ng Manggagawa-Pilipinas, who was gunned down by four suspected NPA hitmen on Aug. 8 in Brgy. Yaoyao, Cauayan.

The NPA in southern Negros had claimed responsibility for the assassination of Salve, whom they accused of collaborating with the military.

MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENT

Senior Supt. Manuel Felix, provincial police director of Negros Occidental, yesterday said the arrest of Moleta in Bayawan, Negros Oriental, is considered a major accomplishment by the PNP in Negros island.

Felix said Moleta will be placed under “tight watch” at the Himamaylan City Police Station, where he is now detained for rebellion, frustrated murder and attempted murder.

In his report to Felix, Supt. Harold Tuzon said Moleta has a pending arrest warrant for robbery-in-band before the San Carlos City Regional Trial Court.

Bayhon said the arrest of Moleta was revealed by his own comrades, who reportedly accused him of mishandling party funds and abusing their female comrades in the rebel movement.

He added that Moleta was forced to go down from the NPA lairs in the mountains to the lowlands, due to pressure exerted on them by his troops, and lack of support from the “masa”, who used to support them.

Under the leadership of Moleta, the KLSW, also known as the Roger Mahinay Command was also blamed for the bombing of two Globe Telecom cell sites in Cauayan and Sipalay City,Negros Occidental, destruction of mining equipment and facilities, as well as behind the countless assassination activities in southern Negros, with former militiamen and, ordinary civilians suspected as military informants among their victims, military records also showed.

Early this year, police and military intelligence operatives also arrested Rogelio Danoso, alias Ka Gildo, secretary of the Komiteng Larangan-Northern Negros, in Barangay Bata, Bacolod City.*GPB

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