TUGUEGARAO CITY -- An alleged leader of the New People’s Army (NPA) and his wife were arrested on Sunday in Sitio Nagtapulan, Naguilian village in Calayan island-town, Cagayan province, police said on Monday.
Senior Supt. Warren Tolito, Cagayan provincial police director, identified the arrested rebels as Edison Erese alias Ka Jingjing/Ronnel/Elmer and his wife, Divina.
Edison was tagged as an incumbent NPA Regional Operations Command staff member and armed staff of the Komiteng Rehiyon-Cagayan Valley of the communist group while Divina was a former medical officer of the Danilo Ben Command-West Committee operating in the region.
Edison is said to have replaced Victorio Tesorio, a third-ranked NPA leader, who was killed in a clash with government troops in Tarlac early this year.
Seized from the arrested couple were two caliber .45 pistols and two hand grenades.
"This is a breakthrough arrest as we were able to put a rebel leader into the justice system so that he can answer for the charges against him," Tolito told the Philippine News Agency in a mobile phone interview.
“The arrest exemplifies that justice has been achieved for the victims of the NPA atrocities in this side of the country. The PNP is continuously working to bring these culprits to the fold of the law,” he added.
The Erese couple was served an arrest warrant for their pending cases of illegal possession of firearms, qualified assault upon a person in authority and attempted murder issued by the Regional Trial Court-Branch 1 in Tuguegarao City and another for an arson case issued by the Regional Trial Court-Branch 8 in Aparri town.
Edison and his wife were brought to the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG)-Cagayan field office for custody.
The arresting team comprised members of the CIDG, Cagayan provincial police and Calayan town police, Marine Battalion landing team, special operations platoon and other government agents. (PNA)
