NPA member arrested over death of PNP’s Arthur Masungsong

FILE: PNP Chief Police Director General Ronald Dela Rosa visited Police Chief Inspector Ronald Lumactod who was wounded during an armed encounter with kidnappers while conducting a rescue operation of a kidnap victim on December 23, 2017 in Bulacan. (Photo: Philippine National Police/Facebook)

One of the suspects in the death of the Philippine National Police—Anti-Kidnapping Group (PNP-AKG) Luzon field unit chief Superintendent Arthur Masungsong, who was killed in a shootout, has been arrested by the authorities on Saturday.

PNP chief Director General Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa presented the alleged suspect, Donato Jacob, on Monday, February 26. Jacob reportedly ran off during a clash with the ranking official’s team. The PNP also found out that he is a member of the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines’ (CPP), New People’s Army (NPA).

On December 23, the police anti-kidnapping official died while Chief Insp. Reynaldo Lumactod was injured during the anti-kidnapping operation in Angat, Bulacan.

According to a police report, Masungsong rescued 27-year-old Raziel Esguerra who was kidnapped on Friday, December 22, in the afternoon. Her kidnappers were demanding a P15-million ransom money from her family.

Esguerra’s brother immediately reported the threat to the Camp Crame office of the PNP-AKG that called for the rescue team headed by Masungsong.

While on their way to save victims of kidnapping, the suspects “chanced upon” the vehicles of the AKG that prompted an exchange of fire between the two groups.

“The suspects noticed the AKG vehicle and suddenly fired upon them,” the police report stated.

The encounter resulted in the deaths of the four companions of Jacob. The PNP-AKG, on the other hand, successfully rescued the victims.

Dela Rosa said that this was the first time he heard members of the communist group were involved in a kidnap-for-ransom-case. He added that it was also painful for him to know that a police officer was killed in an infrequent kind of clash with the NPA rebels.

“Meron silang kidnapping, pero never may ransom. This is an erosion of the belief of their post. Akala ko meron kang ipinaglalaban na cause. Bakit ito ang ginagawa ‘nyo? (They have kidnapping, however, there was no ransom involved. This is an erosion of the belief of their post. I thought you were fighting for a cause. Why did you do this?)” the PNP chief said.

Masungsong has led numerous successful anti-kidnapping operations when he was the head of the PNP-AKG group.

The top cop paid his last respects at the St. Ignacius Funeral Parlor where Masungsong’s body was brought.