MANILA, Dec. 27 -- The Philippines raised a red alert Wednesday for attacks in the capital after charging two suspected members of a communist hit squad with masterminding the ambush of an ethnic Chinese trader. 'The government internal security apparatus is on alert for possible reprisals from the Alex Boncayao Brigade,' said Interior Secretary Rafael Alunan, referring to the urban hit squad of the communist group.
Alunan said murder charges were filed against two suspected members of the ABB for the killing of industrialist Leonardo Ty and his driver Dec. 11. 'We have enough documents to prove our charges in court, we are on a legal offensive and we have a strong case,' Alunan said. Orlando Bondalian, ABB intelligence officer, allegedly planned the ambush, while Ruperto Lopez allegedly fired his gun at Ty, who the rebels claimed abused his workers. Philippine National Police Chief Recaredo Sarmiento said more arests are expected, and a police intelligence officer said at least 60 more members of the ABB are being tracked down. Police are holding six other ABB men, three of whom have been charged with illegal possession of firearms and drugs seized from them in a raid on a safehouse in suburban Muntinlupa. Police are still gathering evidence to link the ABB to a separate ambush that occurred simultaneous to Ty's slaying. The ambush, aimed at another Chinese target, killed instead his bodyguard and a 5-year-old Singaporean boy. Sarmiento said Manila police are preparing for reprisals from ABB members who have vowed to assassinate businessmen and government agriculture officials blamed for the recent nationwide rice supply crisis. '(The rebels) want to hit soft targets and high impact personalitiesfor media exposure,' said Brig. Gen. Benjamin Libarnes, chief of the Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. officials.
