Top NPA leader in Bicol nabbed in Sorsogon

NAGA CITY—A New People’s Army (NPA) leader in Bicol was captured by the Army and police on Friday in Matnog, Sorsogon, an Army official said on Saturday.

The military hailed the capture of Jesus Guelas, alias “Gapa/Insoy,” reportedly the NPA commander in Sorsogon and a member of the regional party committee of Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), as a sign of the waning strength of the communist guerrillas in Bicol.

On the other hand, the Armed Forces of the Philippines Southern Luzon Command (Solcom) said any major offensives to mark the 46th founding anniversary celebration of the NPA this Sunday is unlikely due to their declining strength in Southern Tagalog and Bicol regions.

Maj. Angelo Guzman, Solcom spokesperson, however, said they would still place all their units on red alert and “would always be ready to repel any of their offensives.” Vital public and private installations and government flagship projects were also being secured, he said.

Ranking NPA

Guelas was identified by Col. Cesar M. Idio, 903rd brigade commander, after the alleged rebel leader was nabbed on Friday by soldiers and policemen in an operation in Barangay Genablan Occidental, Matnog, at 11:40 a.m.

Idio, in a statement Saturday, said the arresting team seized from Guelas a .45-cal. pistol and an improvised explosive device weighing four to five kilos. Guelas had various warrants of arrests for multiple murders and rebellion charges.

Civilians tipped off authorities of the presence of four suspected rebels roaming the area prior to Guelas’ arrest.

Government troops ferried Guelas on a Navy patrol gunboat from Matnog to Castilla, also in Sorsogon, where he was turned over to the provincial police on Saturday.

Guzman said Guelas was the second ranking Bicol NPA leader captured this year by the Army. On Jan. 27, Reynaldo Hugo, alleged to be NPA’s number two leader in Bicol, was captured in Cabuyao, Laguna.

Waning strength

Maj. Gen. Ricardo R. Visaya, Solcom chief, said the capture and surrender of communist leaders is a sign of waning insurgency in Bicol.

He said communist guerrillas in Southern Luzon and Bicol regions are now down to 500 combatants. “And this number continues to drop,” he added.

A Solcom report said 18 top leaders and 112 regular members of NPA rebels in Southern Tagalog and Bicol regions were captured last year.

All military units have meanwhile been placed on red alert status from 12 noon of March 28 up to 12 noon of March 30.

Guzman, in a phone interview, said troops are not allowed to leave their duty stations during this period.

The NPA, armed wing of CPP, was established in a remote village in Central Luzon on March 29, 1969.

The communist guerrillas have been waging war against the government for the past 46 years, considered the world’s longest-running Maoist-inspired rebellion. GR/EB/RC