MANILA — Philippine National Police (PNP) Director General Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa said there is nothing political with the arrest of National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) peace consultant Rafael Baylosis and companion Roque Guillermo Wednesday afternoon.
“Yung pagkaaresto niya (Baylosis), that was a product of intelligence operation and yun nakita sya doon may dalang baril, inaresto. Kinasuhan sya ng illegal possession of firearm, wala syang standing warrant of arrest ha according to the CIDG (Criminal Investigation and Detection Group),” Dela Rosa said.
On militant claims that the arrest of Baylosis and his companion is a persecution among leftist elements, Dela Rosa said that they are just fulfiling their mandate.
“Sa kanila yan, sabi nila panggigipit. Sa amin trabaho lang, walang personalan. Alangan naman pabayaan natin sila dyan pakalat kalat dyan na gumagawa ng problema sa Pilipinas. They are enemies of the state. Kami naman gusto namin mahuli sila. Ganun lang yun kasimple. Panggigipit? Para hindi na sila gipitin huminto na sila sa panggigipit sa taumbayan, yung pangbwisit sa taumbayan, pagsunog ng mga equipment, pang harass sa mga tao, ihinto nila yun,” the PNP chief said.
An initial report from the PNP-CIDG-National Capital Region (NCR) revealed that Baylosis and Guillermo were arrested along Aurora Boulevard corner Katipunan Avenue, Quezon City around 3:45 p.m. Wednesday.
It was learned that aside from operatives of the CIDG-NCR, operatives of the Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (ISAFP), Regional Intelligence Division-National Capital Region Police Office (RID-NCRPO), District Intelligence Division-Manila Police District (DID-MPD), Quezon City Police District (QCPD) and PNP Intelligence Group, took part in the joint operation.
Police said the operation was a result of an intelligence information received by the CIDG-NCR office last Jan. 30 that two armed and suspicious looking persons were sighted at the boundary of Manila and Quezon City prompting the unit to organize teams to conduct casing and surveillance at the said area.
The said persons were again reported to be in the same area on Wednesday, thus, a casing/surveillance was conducted wherein the suspects were tracked to the direction of Quezon City.
Upon reaching the corner of Katipunan Avenue and Aurora Boulevard, the duo sensed the presence of authorities and tried to escape but to no avail. Among the items seized from the two include two .45 pistols, 14 bullet of the same caliber, two magazines, assorted cellphones and documents.
Baylosis and Guillermo were appraised of their constitutional rights and are now under the custody of NCR-CIDG prior to their inquest proceedings before the Quezon City Prosecutor’s Office. (Priam Nepomuceno/PNA)
