ILOILO City – A suspected member of the New People’s Army (NPA) and No. 2 most wanted person in Western Visayas was arrested yesterday in Barangay Tig-amaga, Miag-ao, Iloilo.
Raymund Paner alias Panen, 33, of Barangay Tula-tula, Sibalom, Antique was detained at the Sibalom police station.
He was suspected to be a member of Squad 1, SDG (Suyak) Platoon, Southern Front Committee – Komiteng Rehiyon Panay.
Paner had pending arrest warrants for murder and direct assault upon a person in authority over an incident in Barangay Tula-tula back in 2013.
He was arrested at 5:30 a.m. on July 3 by joined forces of the Miag-ao and Sibalom police stations, and Antique Police Provincial Office.
The warrant for his murder case was signed by Judge Francisco Guzman of the Regional Trial Court, Branch 10 (San Jose, Antique) while that for his direct assault upon a person in authority case was issued by Judge Lunel Gabayoyo of the Municipal Circuit Trial Court (Sibalom – San Remigio – Belison), with a recommended bail bond of P12,000 for his temporary liberty.
According to Sibalom police chief, Police Major Renato Monreal II, Paner was accused of stabbing to death Leonardo Donganon and assaulting Donganon’s son who was a barangay councilman.
“After the incident nagtago na ang suspect. We received an intelligence report that he joined the NPA. We have been looking him for a long time. Recently, we received information that he was hiding in Miag-ao,” said Monreal.
At the time of his arrest, Panan was ranked No. 1 most wanted person in the region.
“He did not resist when we served his arrest warrants,” Monreal told Panay News./PN
