Satur's co-accused in 1985 NPA purge falls — police

A co-accused of former Bayan Muna party-list representative Satur Ocampo in the alleged mass killing of New People's Army cadres in Leyte province in 1985 has fallen into government hands, police said Tuesday. The National Police's Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) said Dario Tomada, a suspected regular NPA member, was nabbed July 22 in Biñan, Laguna by intelligence operatives of the military and police. Director Leonilo dela Cruz, CIDG chief, said Tomada was arrested on the strength of a warrant of arrest issued by Leyte Judge Ephrem Abando in connection with the multiple murder case filed against the suspect. At the time of his arrest, Tomada carried a P150,000 reward for his capture, Dela Cruz said. "He is one of the respondents in the mass killing of civilians in Leyte sometime in 1985," Dela Cruz said. "Intelligence operatives of both the CIDG and the AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) have conducted round-the-clock stake out in several places in Metro Manila and Laguna and after a week-long operation, finally caught Tomada in Biñan," he added. Dela Cruz said Tomada's arrest would help in the resolution of the case since the suspect could provide "vital leads on the locations of his comrades who had a hand in the celebrated mass killing in Leyte." Authorities said the purge was undertaken to rid the NPA of suspected government spies. The charges against Ocampo, Tomada and others were filed after a mass grave was discovered in August 2006 at Sitio Mount Sapang Dako, Barangay Kaulisihan, Inopacan, Leyte. Ocampo has since denied the allegation. — RSJ, GMANews.TV