San Bernardo arrest: farmer accused of killing 15 trapped people

This is the criminal report from the police laboratory report on Prescillano Batas Beringuel, a farmer accused of killing 15 people as a member of the CPP-NPA. The | Contributed photo

SAINT BERNARD, Southern Leyte, Philippines – A 76-year-old farmer, allegedly among the members of the CPP-NPA terrorist group accused of murdering 15 comrades in May 1985, was arrested on April 9, 2020 in the city of Saint Bernard, Southern Leyte province.

Caught by police intelligence agents, the suspect was identified as Prescillano Batas Beringuel, an alleged high-profile member of the Barangay Sta. Cruz communist terrorist group (CTG), San Bernardo

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Read more: Duterte declares CPP, NPA as terrorist organizations

The CPP-NPA has been declared a terrorist group by President Duterte on December 5, 2017.

In 2002, the United States Department of State labeled CPP-NPA as a foreign terrorist organization.

Read more: UNHCR Country Reports on Terrorism 2017

Meanwhile, the suspect, Beringuel, was charged with 15 counts of murder and was labeled by the authorities as the most wanted person and was arrested in San Bernardo two days ago.

Beringuel was reportedly among the members of the NPA who massacred his companions at some point in May 1985. A mass grave was discovered at Sitio Sapang Daku, Barangay Kaulisan, Inopacan, Leyte in August 2006.

Beringuel, 76, is now in the custody of the Saint Bernard Police Station. No bond has been recommended for his temporary release.

The joint hunting operation was led by Police Captain Ralph Bangoy, Regional Intelligence Unit in the PNP Visayas Oriental Intelligence Group (RIU8); Lieutenant Colonel Joel Nicha, Company of the Leyte del Sur Mobile Provincial Force (SLPMFC); and Police Lieutenant Mario Lumayno of the San Bernardo Municipal Police Station. / dbs

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