6 NPA guerrillas 'seeking' permits to campaign from candidates arrested in Bulacan

Six suspected communist New People's Army rebels were arrested in Bulacan province Saturday morning while allegedly trying to collect money from local candidates in exchange for so-called permits to campaign.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines said the six yielded materials with information on permits to campaign, radio dzBB's Manny Vargas reported.

Maj. Emmanuel Garcia, AFP deputy public affairs office chief, cited sketchy initial reports indicating the six also yielded assorted firearms when they were intercepted at Doña Remedios Trinidad town.

A separate dzBB report said the vehicle the six was using when intercepted was made to resemble a military truck carrying troops.

In a separate interview on government-run dzRB, AFP spokesman Brig. Gen. Domingo Tutaan Jr. said their information showed... "Yung sasakyan pinintahan parang sasakyan ng AFP.

April arrest

Last April 27, 11 members of the NPA were also arrested in Bulacan while allegedly trying to mulct money from politicians in exchange for "permits to campaign."

Saturday's arrest came two days before Filipinos are to troop to polling centers to elect 12 senators and local officials.

In Southern Luzon, on the other hand, Calabarzon regional police detained five men – one of them an incumbent barangay chairman – and seized firearms in raids in Batangas province, radio dzBB's Mao dela Cruz reported Saturday.

In Barangay Quilo-Quilo in Padre Garcia town, police seized from the house of village chairman Felix Tumambing a 9-mm pistol, and ammunition for cal-.45 and 9-mm pistols.

In Barangay Tamak, police seized a cal-.45 pistol, ammunition for a cal-.45 handgun, and six rifle grenades from the house of former village chairman Rene Maala.

Tumambing, Maala and at least three other suspects were taken into custody. — LBG, GMA News