ILOILO City – A suspected New People’s Army (NPA) rebel holding a key position was arrested while crossing a street in Barangay Timawa-Tanza I, Molo district yesterday morning.
Maria Teresa Drilon Cabales was part of the NPA-Panay’s medical staff, according to Chief Superintendent John Bulalacao, regional police director.
“She is holding a sensitive position. Being a medical staff and liaison, she provides financial and medical support to hospitalized members,” said Bulalacao.
Cabales, however, denied this. She said she was a staff of the Alliance of Concerned Teachers, a militant organization that recently called for an increase in the salary of teachers.
“Her arrest is a big blow to the rebel movement. Their activities will be adversely affected,” said Bulalacao.
Hours after her arrest, Cabales was presented at a press conference in Camp Delgado, headquarters of the Police Regional Office 6 (PRO-6).
According to Bulalacao, Cabales’ husband Roberto was the secretary of the Communist Party of the Philippines’ Central Front Committee in Panay Island.
Roberto remains at large.
Cabales, a native of Bacolod City, has a pending arrest warrant issued on Oct. 12, 2017 by Judge Judith Orendain-Tonogbanua of the Regional Trial Court (Branch 20) in Mambusao, Capiz.
Bulalacao said it was an offshoot of the encounter between government troops and rebels in Sitio Agbalante, Barangay Tacayan, Tapaz, Capiz that killed Private First Class Ricky Bill Farinas and wounded Staff Sergeant William Viado.
Operatives of the PRO-6’s Regional Criminal Investigation Unit and Regional Intelligence Division, and the Philippine Army’s Intelligence Security Group carried out the arrest.
According to Bulalacao, Cabales has other court cases, including one for murder.
“Meron pang mga warrants of arrest na kinukuha and will be served against her,” he said.
Cabales was using the nom de guerre “Teray” and “Sandy” and stayed in Barangay San Juan, Molo, added Bulalacao.
According to Cabales, she was not a rebel and had been living openly in this city for over two decades now.
“Ari lang ko ‘ya diri nagatrabaho as staff sang una sang isa ka nongovernment organization. Subong ara ako sa isa ka regional union,” she said.
Cabales said she was being unfairly accused because of her husband.
“Ginaimplikar ko nila sa bana ko pero ako ‘ya indi katapo,” she said.
She, however, did not say where her husband was.
Ruby Magbanua, regional coordinator ACT, said Cabales was a staff of their association since the 1990s.
“She is being harassed with trumped-up charges,” Magbanua told Panay News.
ACT and support groups staged a protest outside Camp Delgado yesterday and demanded Cabales’ release./PN
