GOVERNMENT forces arrested three New People’s Army leaders in operations in Pasay City and Cagayan de Oro City on Monday and Sunday, authorities reported yesterday.
PNP chief Gen. Dionardo Carlos said two of them, Ernesto Lorenzo and Rosita Celino-Serrano, were nabbed by a team of soldiers and policemen at around 8:30 a.m. last Monday at the Nayong Pilipino in Pasay City.
He said Lorenzo has arrest warrants for kidnapping with serious illegal detention and attempted murder while Celino-Serrano is wanted for murder.
Carlos described the two as “high ranking officials” of the NPA’s Southern Tagalog Regional Party Committee.
Carlos said Celino-Serrano is a staff member of the committee’s Regional Education and Propaganda Bureau and secretary of the NPA’s Islam Mindoro.
In Cagayan de Oro City, soldiers and policemen arrested Aldeem Yañez at in Urban Poor Village in Barangay Iponan last Sunday.
Yañez was arrested by virtue of a search warrant issued by a Misamis Oriental court last April 6 for violation of Republic Act 10591 or the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act, said 4th Infantry Division spokesman Maj. Francisco Garello.
Seized from Yañez’ possession were a cal. 45 pistol, two fragmentation grenades, two 40 mm ammunition, a fake voter’s ID card, a fake COVID-19 vaccine card, and NPA documents.
Garello said Yañez is involved in ideological, political, and organizational work in Bukidnon and is also in charge of NPA extortion activities in urban areas in Bukidnon and Misamis Oriental.
In Agusan del Sur Monday, government troops recovered 22 high-powered firearms hidden by NPA rebels in La Paz town.
The Army’s 60th Infantry Battalion based in Davao del Norte said the firearms were retrieved following information provided by an NPA rebel, identified only as alias Bolo, who surrendered last April 5.
The firearms were found near the Bagul River in Barangay Kasapa II where they were buried by members of the NPA’s Guerrilla Front 3, Sub-Regional Committee 4, Southern Mindanao Regional Committee.
Recovered were 10 AK 47 rifles, eight M16 rifles, an Ultimax light machine gun, an M14 rifle, an M79 grenade launcher, and a Garand rifle.
Citing information from alias Bolo, the 60th IB said firearms were supposed to be used by the rebels in recovering “lost ground” in the province.
The military is aiming to defeat the NPA before the end of President Duterte in June this year. Military estimates placed the NPA strength at around 2,500 men as of January this year.
