Bacolod City – The death of Hans Ponteras, who was the sitting secretary of Komiteng Rehiyonal Negros/Cebu/Bohol/Siquijor (KR-NCBS) and finance head of the regional committee, was described by the Philippine Army as a major blow to the extortion networks of the rebel remnants.
In a statement, Lt. Col. Arnel Calaoagan, 79th Infantry Battalion commander, said the stoppage of KR-NCBS’s extortion racket is a huge win for peace and security in Negros Island Region.
Without funds and leaders, their operations crumble, and the communities they once terrorized can finally thrive without fear, Calaoagan added.
Ponteras was among the two regional officials of the KR-NCBS who were recently killed in an encounter with 79IB soldiers in Barangay Caduhaan, Cadiz City, Negros Occidental.
Based on information provided by former rebels, Calaoagan said they successfully disrupted the rebels’ extortion activities in the NIR, particularly those led by the notorious “Armando Magbanua.”
For decades, the name “Armando Magbanua” of the Apolinario Gatmaitan Command has been synonymous with fear and coercion among large and small scale businesses, planters, contractors, and civilians across the Visayas, he added.
However, intelligence operations and testimonies from former rebels revealed that “Armando Magbanua” is not a single person, but a pseudonym systematically used by the KR-NCBS Finance Officer in their extortion activities.
Before assuming this infamous alias, every “Armando Magbanua” was a high-ranking cadre within the Apolonario Gatmaitan Command, the main NPA unit operating in Negros Island.
These individuals were handpicked for their role in overseeing the extortion machinery of KR-NCBS, responsible for collecting the so-called revolutionary taxes, according to Calaoagan.
The use of the name “Armando Magbanua”, he added, served a dual purpose: to maintain secrecy and to instill a continuous sense of threat, regardless of who occupied the role.
Under that banner, various NPA finance officers’ pressured individuals and corporations into paying exorbitant amounts, funding terrorist activities while leaving their victims in a constant state of fear, Calaoagan further said.
He continuously called on businesses, local leaders, and communities to reject any form of NPA extortion and to report any suspicious activities.
With strengthened partnerships between the military, local government units, and peace-loving citizens, the downfall of the NPA’s financial networks signals a brighter, more secure future for Negros and the entire Visayas region, Calaoagan also said. (Gilbert Bayoran via tvds)