By Aaron Recuenco
Police and military operatives have arrested a top officer of the New People's Army (NPA) operating in Palawan and nearby provinces at a checkpoint in Puerto Princesa City late Friday night.
New People's Army (MANILA BULLETIN)
Brig. Gen. Tomas Apolinario, director of the Mimaropa (Mindoro Oriental and Occidental, Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan) regional police, said six other suspected Communist rebels were arrested along with Domingo Ritas, who is reportedly the deputy secretary of the NPA's Sub-Regional Military Area 4E. He has a standing warrant for murder.
"The six other arrested persons with Ritas are yet to be identified in a thorough investigation," said Apolinario.
The official said Ritas and his companions were collared in a joint checkpoint of the police and the military in North National Highway in Barangay San Jose in Puerto Princesa City.
Seized from them were a 9mm pistol, rifle grenades, time fuse, blasting caps, grenades, laptop and cellphones, medicines, NPA uniforms, flag of the National Democratic Front and various documents allegedly related to the NPA.
Lt. Col. Socrates Faltado, Mimaropa regional police spokesman, said the group of Ritas was supposed to go to the southern part of Palawan on board a van when they were apprehended at around 11 a.m.
"They came from San Vicente town," said Faltado.
The NPA has been waging five decades of armed struggle against the government. Peace talks between the government and the NPA would always bog down over the years.
New People's Army (MANILA BULLETIN)
Brig. Gen. Tomas Apolinario, director of the Mimaropa (Mindoro Oriental and Occidental, Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan) regional police, said six other suspected Communist rebels were arrested along with Domingo Ritas, who is reportedly the deputy secretary of the NPA's Sub-Regional Military Area 4E. He has a standing warrant for murder.
"The six other arrested persons with Ritas are yet to be identified in a thorough investigation," said Apolinario.
The official said Ritas and his companions were collared in a joint checkpoint of the police and the military in North National Highway in Barangay San Jose in Puerto Princesa City.
Seized from them were a 9mm pistol, rifle grenades, time fuse, blasting caps, grenades, laptop and cellphones, medicines, NPA uniforms, flag of the National Democratic Front and various documents allegedly related to the NPA.
Lt. Col. Socrates Faltado, Mimaropa regional police spokesman, said the group of Ritas was supposed to go to the southern part of Palawan on board a van when they were apprehended at around 11 a.m.
"They came from San Vicente town," said Faltado.
The NPA has been waging five decades of armed struggle against the government. Peace talks between the government and the NPA would always bog down over the years.