Alleged CPP officer, 5 other suspected communist rebels nabbed in QC, Bulacan

MANILA, Philippines — Six suspected members of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and its armed group, the New People’s Army (NPA), were arrested in simultaneous operations in Bulacan and Quezon City, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said in a statement issued on Tuesday.

The newly-installed PNP chief, Gen. Dionardo Carlos, identified one of the suspects as a certain Gil Peralta, supposedly a regular member of CPP who acted as a convener of the party’s second congress.

Peralta was arrested in Barangay Maribolo, Quezon City, by members of the Criminal  Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG).

Citing PNP records, Carlos tagged Peralta as the secretary of the Komiteng Rehiyon–Cagayan Valley (KR-CV) who has warrants of arrest for arson and frustrated murder.

“Peralta is likewise one of the 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 in a CAFGU Active Auxiliary (CAA) detachment in Sto Niño, Cagayan on July 2019,” Carlos said.

“Peralta was also implicated in the ambush and murder of the former Lasam, Cagayan Councilor Marjorie April Salazar, Eduardo Asuten, John Rey Cortes and Aiza Salvador Manuel. Former members of KR-CV revealed that Peralta was involved in corruption activities within the CPP-NPA,” he added.

Folllowing are the five other individuals, who were arrested in another CIDG operation in Barangay San Vicente in Santa Maria, Bulacan:

• Irene Agcaoili, alleged finance head of  the KR-CV, with outstanding arrest orders for murder, multiple attempted murder, robbery
• Lourdes Bulan, alleged executive committee member of the KR–CV, who is wanted for murder and multiple attempted murder
• Roy dela Cruz, intelligence officer of the KR–CV
• Arcadio Tangonan
• Natividad Santos

According to the PNP chief, Agcaoili tried to shoot the arresting officers while Santos tried to use a hand grenade, but the officers subdued them.

The following items were seized from the suspects:

• a .45-caliber Colt pistol
• a .45-caliber pistol with serial number 920752
• 5.56-mm Colt rifle with serial number 90119223
• a 9-mm Armscor handgun with serial no. 415741
• three hand grenades
• several improvised explosive devices
• several rounds of ammunition and magazines
• 12 blasting caps
• six pieces booster
• 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.

“The apprehension of Peralta and his five staff will significantly affect the leadership and organization of the CPP-NPA, especially in Cagayan Valley Region.  Likewise, it will give justice to the victims of the NPA in the Cagayan Valley region,” he added.

The arrested suspects will face the old cases filed against them, along with new complaints for illegal possession of firearms.

ATM