Suspect in ambush of Sen. Guingona's mother arrested

A suspected official of the New People's Army allegedly involved in the failed ambush of the mother of Senator Teofisto Guingona III was arrested by authorities over the weekend.

 

Suspect Reynaldo Agcopra, also known as Commander Tarik, was nabbed Saturday afternoon at Sitio San Roque, Barangay Aposkahoy, Claveria, Misamis Oriental, according to a press statement from Philippine National Police Region 10.

 

Joint police and army personnel arrested Agcopra around 12:30 p.m. by virtue of an arrest warrant issued by Judge Mirabeau A. Undalok of Branch 43, Regional Trial Court 10, Gingoog City for double murder and multiple frustrated murder. However, no details were provided on how he was nabbed.

 

No bail was recommended for the temporary liberty of Agcopra.

 

On April 20, the four-vehicle convoy of former Gingoog Mayor Ruth de Lara Guingona, also the wife of former Vice President Teofisto Guingona, was attacked by NPA members at Binakalan Village while they were on their way back to the city after attending a barangay fiesta.

 

Guingona survived the attack but her driver Tomas Velasco and his brother, Nestor, who was an alternate driver, were killed. One of the police escorts, PO3 Rolando Benemirito was injured.

 

The NPA admitted it was behind the incident but insisted that it was a checkpoint operation gone awry.

They claimed they only wanted to talk to the mayor, who has been campaigning for her daughter Marie, a candidate for mayor to replace her mother.

The rebels said the Guingonas had not sought permission to campaign in areas the NPA considers under its control. —Amita Legaspi/KG, GMA News