ILOILO CITY – A top leader of the New People’s Army (NPA) in Mindanao was caught in Barotac Viejo, Iloilo on Wednesday, Sept. 14.
Authorities identified the suspect as Leo Lacumbo, 49, of Tulunan, North Cotabato.
Also arrested was his 33-year-old nephew Jeffrey Alemania.
Considered as a high-valued individual, Lacumbo is believed to be the NPA regional operational commanding officer and first secretary of Southern Mindanao of the Communist Party of the Philippines.
Lacumbo was listed as the No. 1 Most Wanted Person in Davao de Oro.
He is facing attempted murder charges and his arrest was based on a warrant issued by Judge Carmel Gil Grado of the Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 56 in Compostela, Davao de Oro.
Col. Adrian Acollador, Iloilo Police Provincial Office (IPPO) chief, lauded the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) for arresting Lacumbo.
He was arrested by the PNP-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG)-6, CIDG-Iloilo City, CIDG-Iloilo, the Police Regional Office-Regional Intelligence Division (PRO-RID), IPPO Provincial Intelligence Branch, IPPO 2nd Provincial Mobile Force Company, Barotac Viejo Municipal Police Station, Passi City Police Station, New Bataan Municipal Police Station, the Davao de Oro Provincial Police Office, as well as units under the 3rd Infantry Division, including the 301st Infantry Brigade (IB) and the 10th Infantry Division in Mindanao.