The most wanted New People’s Army officer in Agusan Del Norte was captured by authorities on Sunday morning.
Joaquin Madrianon alias “Alto” or “Junjun” was also the second most-wanted criminal in the province, and was caught in his hideout in Purok Spring, Barangay Tagcatong, Carmen town, police said.
Marianon was wanted for murder and linked to the killing of lumads in the province, said Major Ronald Putol, civil military operations officer of the Philippine Army’s 402nd Infantry Brigade.
Concerned citizens tipped the authorities about his whereabouts, where his warrant of arrest was served, Putol added.
The communist rebel was brought to the Carmen Municipal Police Station for further investigation and proper custody.
Meanwhile, in Cagayan De Oro City, members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ 58th Infantry Battalion spent their Christmas holiday with the evacuees from Sitio Kamansi, Lagonglong town, Misamis Oriental, and three formers rebels who surrendered during Christmas Eve.
The battalion unit said it went to the evacuees at their temporary relocation site in Old Kibanban, Barangay Kibanban, in Balingasag town, Misamis Oriental province on Dec. 27.
Members of the 58IB gave gifts to some 28 families and joined some parlor games for the children and adults. This was also supported by the local government of Lagonglong.
As early as June 2018, around 30 to 60 families have fled from their homes in Sitio Kamansi and took temporary shelter at the grounds of Misamis Oriental Provincial Capitol here in the city.
They evacuated due to the ongoing armed conflict between military troops and NPA members.
As of December 30, some of the families are still staying at the capitol compounds.
Lt. Col. Anthony Derilo, 58IB commanding officer, said their goal was to reach out to these families during the holiday season.
“Much as I want to have them spend Christmas in their homes in Sitio Kamnsi and others in their beloved Sitio Anahaw, the CPP-NPA Terrorist and NDF Organizer kept on threatening and preventing them to go back and using them as a means to pressure the government to pull out military detachment in their areas,” he said as quoted in the press release.
Also quoted was Lagonglong town mayor Jay Alber Puertas, who was responsible in organizing the activity with the Barangay Council of Banglay. Other stakeholders also gave the evacuees some gifts.