PNP confirms arrest of 60-year-old alleged CPP leader during QC raid

Esterlita Espinosa, an alleged high-ranking leader of the CPP-NPA, poses for a mugshot after her arrest for alleged possession of a firearm and a grenade inside her condominium unit in Quezon City on Monday, August 26, 2019. Photo courtesy of QCPD

MANILA, Philippines — Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Oscar Albayalde announced Tuesday the arrest of an alleged ranking woman officer of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) who was arrested for alleged illegal possession of firearm and an explosive in Quezon City.

Albayalde identified the suspect as 60-year-old Esterlita Suaybaguio Espinosa, who goes by the aliases Nali, Loida, Ester, Imang, and Iyay, tagged by the PNP as the one assigned by the CPP’s Central Committee to “jumpstart and lead the resurgence of communism” in Metro Manila.

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Suaybaguio Espinosa was arrested by joint units of the PNP and the Armed Forces of the Philippines at about 1:50 a.m. on Monday inside her condominium unit along 20th Avenue in Cubao.

According to a report from the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) on Tuesday, the suspect was arrested after authorities served two search warrants for the suspect’s alleged violations of the Republic Act 10591 or the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act, and of the Presidential Decree 1866 as amended by the Republic Act 9516 or the Unlawful Manufacture, Sale, Acquisition, Disposition, Importation or Possession of an Explosive or Incendiary Device.

The search warrants were issued by the Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 89 on August 23.

Allegedly recovered from her possession were a 9mm pistol and its magazine with seven rounds of ammunition, a hand grenade, and several alleged subversive documents.

Police said the suspect was a former professor in Tagum City, Davao del Norte. Prior to her designation to Metro Manila a few months ago, she was allegedly the secretary of the Southern Mindanao Regional Party Committee and of Komisyon Mindanao (KOMMID).

According to the NCRPO, Suaybaguio Espinosa is also a respondent to at least three criminal cases, such as multiple murder, multiple frustrated murder, and another case on the murder of Police Patrolman Ronald Napalan of the Regional Mobile Force Battalion-Police Regional Office in Caraga on June 29.

The raid in her residence was witnessed by officials of Barangay San Roque, according to police.

The suspect was initially brought to the Criminal Investigation and Detection Unit of the Quezon City Police District for booking procedures and medical examination. /jpv