ARRESTED. The mug shot of communist rebel leader Nori L. Torregosa, 37, who was arrested by police forces on Thursday afternoon in Barangay Limaha, Butuan City. Torregosa has a warrant of arrest for illegal firearms charge. (Photo courtesy of PRO-13)
BUTUAN CITY – After the arrest of the top leader of the New People’s Army (NPA) in Caraga Region Thursday noon, authorities scored another apprehension with the arrest of a ranking official of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) in the area.
In a statement released on Friday, Brig. Gen. Joselito T. Esquivel, director of Police Regional Office in Caraga Region (PRO-Caraga), identified the arrested rebel as Nori L. Torregosa, 37, of Purok 1, Barangay Maasin, Esperanza, Agusan del Sur.
Esquivel said Torregosa is the finance officer of the CPP-NPA Komisyon Mindanao (KOMMID) in charge of the management of the collection and distribution of extortion money in Mindanao.
Torregosa was arrested in Barangay Limaha, Butuan City at around 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, by the elements of the Regional Intelligence Division (RID) of PRO-13, the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group in the region (CIDG-13), and Butuan City Police Station 1 and 2.
Arrested with Torregosa was his live-in partner, Melissa A. Comiso.
The arrest was carried out by virtue of a search warrant issued by Presiding Judge Emmanuel E. Escatron of the Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 4 of Butuan City for loose firearms.
Seized from Torregosa were two hand grenades, a caliber .45 pistol, six .45 caliber ammunition, a magazine, a caliber .38 revolver, three caliber .38 ammunition, five blasting cap assemblies with wire connector and switches, a rolled detonating cord, four laptops, five cellular phones, suspected subversive documents, and a passport.
Esquivel believes Torregosa has extensive knowledge on the extortion activities of the NPA rebels, not only in Caraga but also in the entire Mindanao.
“We hope that they will cooperate with the investigating team in identifying individuals, business institutions and groups that are providing financial support to the CPP-NPA terrorists,” Esquivel said in the statement.
“The government’s efforts against the CPP-NPA terrorists are relentless and we will not stop here until we can ensure the safety and security of the Caraganons," Esquivel said.
He also urged the other NPA rebels to surrender and avail of the government’s peace and reconciliatory programs and initiatives. (PNA)
