BAGGED. Ronaldo Ogama, 74, who is ranked No. 4 in the roster of the most wanted persons of the Police Regional Office 5 (PRO5), is shown after his arrest in Guinobatan, Albay on Tuesday (Nov. 17, 2020). Ogama is a member of the NPA operating in Bicol. (Photo courtesy of Guinobatan MPS)
LEGAZPI CITY – A 74-year-old member of the New People's Army (NPA) long wanted for multiple counts of murder and frustrated murder, was arrested on Tuesday at his house in Purok 1, Barangay Batbat, Guinobatan, Albay by joint elements of the town and regional police in Bicol.
In an interview, Major Domingo Tapel Jr., Guinobatan police chief, identified the arrested person as Ronaldo Ogama, who is ranked No. 4 in the roster of the most wanted persons of the Police Regional Office 5.
Authorities had earlier offered reward money of PHP2.2 million in exchange for information that would lead to his arrest.
Tapel said Ogama was known as "Ka Leo" in the NPA and a member of the Larangang 1, Komite Probinsyal 5 operating in Bicol.
The town police chief said Ogama is facing multiple murder with frustrated murder cases in the Municipal Trial Court (MTC) in Pioduran, Albay presided by Judge Aurora Binamira-Parcia; multiple murder with frustrated murder charges in the Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 13 in Ligao City presided by Judge Edwin Maalat, and frustrated homicide in RTC Branch 6 in Legazpi City presided by Judge Elmer Lanuzo.
He added that the arrest warrants of Ogama were issued by Pioduran MTC on March 18, 2002; Ligao City RTC on April 28, 2003; and Legazpi City RTC on March 11, 2019.
Ogama was identified by unnamed witnesses as one of those armed rebels who executed their victims in various villages in Pioduran, Ligao City, and Legazpi City.
Tapel said that due to the string of murder and frustrated murder cases the suspect is facing, the Department of the Interior and Local Government put on his head a PHP2.2-million bounty based on DILG Memorandum Circular 10-2009.
He said the arrest of Ogama was the result of long surveillance by the operatives since September of last year.
The aging rebel, according to Tapel, did not resist arrest and peacefully yielded to the team of operatives along with his wife. (PNA)
