AN alleged top leader of the New People’s Army (NPA) operating in Northern Luzon was arrested on Tuesday by a joint team of policemen and soldiers in Quezon City.
The arresting team made up of Police Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) and soldiers from the Northern Luzon Command (NOLCOM) and Joint Task Force National Capital Region also bagged five other rebels during a separate operation in Bulacan.
Gil Peralta alias Elmo, secretary of Komiteng Rehiyon-Cagayan Valley (KR-CV), was arrested at his rented house at San Pedro Bautista Street, Barangay Maribolo, Quezon City after he was served with warrants of arrest for arson and frustrated murder, both issued by Judge Conrado T. Tabaco of Regional Trial Court Branch 09 in Aparri, Cagayan.
A statement read by Philippine National Police chief General Dionardo Carlos said Peralta is among the convenors of the 2nd Congress of the Communist Party of the Philippines and holds the positions of who “Executive Committee, 1st Deputy Secretary, Finance Officer, Head of Regional Organizational Department [ROD] and Communication Department of KR-CV.”
“Peralta is likewise one of the alleged brains behind the many NPA attacks in Cagayan Valley region, including the burning of DDT Construction equipment in the town of Lal-lo, Cagayan in October 2020, and attack of a CAFGU Active Auxiliary [CAA] detachment in Sto.Niño, Cagayan in July 2019,” Carlos said.
“Peralta was also implicated in the ambush and murder of the former Lasam, Cagayan councilor Marjorie April Salazar and Eduardo Asuten, John Rey Cortes and Aiza Salvador Manuel,” he added.
Five other leaders of the KR-CV were arrested during a simultaneous operations at Barangay San Vicente, Santa Maria, Bulacan.
They were identified as Irene Agcaoili alias Ayang, the head of finance of KR-CV wanted for murder, multiple attempted murder and robbery and with a bounty on her head amounting to P700,000; Lourdes Bulan, an alleged executive committee member of KR-CV wanted for murder and multiple attempted murder; Roy Dela Cruz, intelligence officer of the KR-CV; Arcadio Tangonan; and Natividad Santos.
“During the service of the arrest warrant against Agcaoili, she attempted to shoot the arresting officers with a handgun, while Santos armed himself with a hand grenade. Fortunately, both were safely subdued by the arresting operatives,” Carlos said.
Seized from their possession were two .45 caliber pistols, an M-16 rifle, a 9mm pistol, three hand grenades, homemade bombs, bomb components, including blasting caps and P636,000 worth of cash.
“These personalities were also identified by their members to be part of the Manila Support Group [MSG] who are engaged in facilitating and initiating extortion activities of the KR-CV here in Manila,” Carlos said.
NOLCOM commander Lt. Gen. Arnulfo Marcelo Burgos Jr. said the arrest of the six high-ranking rebels by the composite term of soldiers and policemen would contribute to the government’s push to end insurgency within the term of President Duterte.
“We are right on track, and we are taking the extra mile to ensure that we will further hasten the decimation of the communist terrorists in Northern Luzon to comply with the President’s directive to end the communist insurgency by the end of his term,” he said.
The Army’s 5th Infantry Division said its soldiers encountered members of the Kilusang Larangang Gerilya—BAGGAS at Barangay Bagtayan, Pasil, Kalinga on Saturday, which resulted in the death of Julio Dumalyung.