Saturday, February 18, 2017

Duterte help sought for release of NGO worker suspected as NPA rebel

From the Sun Star-Bacolod (Feb 18): Duterte help sought for release of NGO worker suspected as NPA rebel
THE associates of detained development worker Rogina Quilop, a suspected member/leader of the New People’s Army (NPA) arrested early last week in Bacolod City, are seeking assistance from President Rodrigo Duterte for her immediate release.

Her colleagues at the Center for People’s Resources and Services (CPRS) and the Negros Farmers Multi-Purpose Cooperative (NFMPC) said her arrest has affected the activities of both organizations.

Quilop is the finance officer of CPRS, a Negros-based non-government organization (NGO) conducting relief missions, and the manager of NFMPC.

She is jailed at the Metro Bacolod District Jail-Female Dormitory in Barangay Handumanan.

Quilop, 49, was on her way home when she was arrested at Barangay 10 last February 7. She was served with warrant for murder issued on September 11, 2011 by Cadiz City Regional Trial Court (RTC) Judge Renato Muñez after she was tagged in the killing of a soldier in 2010.

In a press conference held Friday at the Department of Labor and Employment-Negros Occidental Livelihood Center in Bacolod City, Quilop’s family and associates, who were clad in black t-shirts with message #FreeRoginaQuilop, condemned her “illegal and unlawful” arrest.

Rodolfo Navarro, Quilop’s father, strongly denied the accusations that his daughter is a leader of the NPA in Negros, saying that she is a peace advocate and a development worker.

Fr. Armando Onion, chairman of the NFMPC board, said they couldn’t understand why Quilop was arrested because she’s doing government work. With Quilop in prison, the work of the NGO in terms of service delivery and management has been affected, he said.

Susie Tapi-on, CPRS executive director, said that more than a thousand beneficiaries from various localities in the province were affected due to Quilop’s arrest. She said that Quilop, as finance officer of CPRS, is in-charge of the financial reports and projects of their group.

Moreover, Tapi-on said the CPRS “strongly attests” that Quilop is not a communist rebel.

She added that they are drafting a letter addressed to President Duterte, demanding for Quilop’s immediate release.

They will also hold a signature campaign and protest actions calling for her release, Tapi-on added.

Quilop’s arraignment set yesterday before RTC Branch 46 Judge Edgar Tupas in Bacolod has been rescheduled due to the unavailability of a state lawyer.

Captain Eduardo Precioso, public information officer of the Army’s 303rd Infantry Brigade, had earlier said Quilop, or Rowena Navarro, is believed to be the deputy secretary of the regional finance bureau of Komiteng Rehiyong-Negros.

He said Quilop’s arrest has affected the operations of the NPA in the region since she holds a vital role in the rebel movement as an alleged collector of extortion money.
 

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