Twelve suspected communist rebels were arrested in a checkpoint in Batangas following an encounter with government security forces, the military said on Tuesday.
Philippine Army鈥檚 2nd Infantry Division spokesperson Capt. Melchor Durante said authorities flagged down a jeepney carrying the alleged members of the New People鈥檚 Army (NPA) around 10 a.m. on Monday, following a skirmish with government soldiers around 8 a.m. in Brgy. Utod in Nasugbu town.
鈥淎ppropriate charges will be filed against the said 12 individuals upon further verification. They are now under custody of PNP Nasugbu,鈥� Durante noted.
READ: Gov鈥檛 troops, NPA rebels clash in Batangas
Quoting 202nd Infantry Brigade commander Brig. Gen. Arnulfo Burgos, Durante said 鈥渢he checkpoint was set up in order to prevent the armed terrorist from fleeing from the encounter site.鈥�
Maj. Gen. Rhoderick Parayno, acting commander of Southern Luzon Command, said the 鈥渢errorists鈥� are still hiding within the vicinity of the encounter site.
But human rights group Karapatan claimed the arrested individuals were members of their quick reaction team (QRT) led by Batangas Human Rights Alliance.
鈥淭he nine individuals were members of farmers鈥� groups Habagat and the Samahang ng Pinagkaisang Damdamin ng Brgy. Quisumbing from Calaca and Lian, Batangas,鈥� Karapatan pointed out in a Facebook post on Monday night.
鈥淭he QRT delegation was first stopped this morning at a PNP checkpoint at Banana St., Brgy. 6, Nasugbu, Batangas. They were brought to the Nasugbu municipal hall for an alleged traffic violation. However, this evening, just when the QRT has been cleared by the police and was about to leave, soldiers from the PAF [Philippine Air Force] ordered the arrest of the ten as alleged members of the NPA,鈥� it added.
A police report from Nasugbu, however, claimed that the vehicle was flagged down in the morning after members of the PNP said it was the same jeepney the suspected communist rebels boarded after the encounter.
At around 6:30 p.m. the police and soldiers who were involved in the encounter arrived at the police station where the suspected rebels were held, confirming that the passengers of the jeepney were part of the encounter, the report said.
The Batangas clash came days after President Rodrigo Duterte announced his plans to issue a proclamation tagging the NPA as a terrorist group.聽聽聽聽聽聽 /kga