By Lloyd Caliwan
MANILA – A top leader of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) was arrested on June 5 in Cagayan de Oro City, the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) said in a belated report Sunday.
In a news release, the agency said the 50-year-old insurgent who is the secretary of the CPP-NPA’s Far South Mindanao Region, was captured in Barangay Indahag following verified intelligence reports.
CIDG officer-in-charge Col. Ranie Hachuela said the suspect, listed as the fifth most wanted person in Police Regions 11 (Davao) and 12 (Soccsksargen) for multiple murder and violation of the Anti-Terrorism Act, was found in possession of a .45 pistol, grenade, ammunition, blasting caps and fake identification cards.
Meanwhile, the CPP confirmed Saturday the death of Luis Jalandoni, senior adviser of the National Democratic Front of the Philippines, while in exile in Utrecht, the Netherlands. He was 90.
In 2022, key communist leaders Benito and Wilma Tiamzon died in an encounter in April while CPP founder Jose Ma. Sison died in confinement in December, also in Utrecht. (PNA)
