Once again a leader of the allegedly leaderless NPA has been captured.
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| https://mb.com.ph/2024/10/22/npa-leader-arrested-in-ilocos-norte |
Troops from the 5th Infantry Division and police apprehended a high-ranking New People’s Army leader in Bacarra, Ilocos Norte on Monday, Oct. 21.
Simon Fiaryao Naogsan Sr., alias Filiw and Wayat, also the spokesperson of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) in the Ilocos-Cordillera region, was apprehended an intelligence-driven operation.
He was executive committee member, head of regional propaganda, and former secretary of the Kilusang Larangang Guerilla-Marco under the Ilocos-Cordillera Regional Committee and faces murder and attempted murder cases before the regional trial courts in Ifugao and Mountain Province.
Major Gen. Gulliver L. Señires, commander of the Army 5th Infantry Division, commended operating units for their achievement.
Señires said Naogsan’s arrest followed the recent capture of three senior members of the ICRC in Conner, Apayao province and proof of the continuous dismantling of the leadership structure of the NPA in Northern Luzon.
“The success of this operation is a testament to our troops' dedication and the community's unwavering support,” Señires said.
“The invaluable information provided by residents was crucial in tracking Naogsan and ensuring his arrest. This demonstrates the growing partnership between the military and the community and the diminishing support for the communist insurgents due to the improved services in Geographically Isolated and Disadvantaged Conflict-Affected Areas (GIDCAs).”
Señires attributed the dwindling influence of the NPA in Northern Luzon to the whole-of-nation approach under the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC).
Police Col. Frederick E. Obar, Ilocos Norte police director, said they are investigating the presence of Naogsan in Ilocos Norte.
The NTF-ELCAC has called the capture of this NPA leader a "major victory."
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| https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1236050 |
The National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) on Tuesday lauded government troops for the capture of a ranking Communist Party of the Philippines - New People's Army (CPP-NPA) leader in northern Luzon.
The Army's 5th Infantry Division and the Philippine National Police in Bacarra, Ilocos Norte arrested Simon Fiaryao Naogsan Sr., also known as "Filiw" and "Wayat," on Oct. 21.
NTF-ELCAC Executive Director, Undersecretary Ernesto Torres Jr., said Naogsan's arrest was a "major victory" that marks a "decisive blow to the remaining communist terrorist elements" in the region.
Of course the fall of this leader is a "decisive blow" to the remaining insurgents in the area. The NPA in Luzon will be falling any day now.
An even more significant leader was captured in Quezon City. The acting chairman of the Communist Party of the Philippines was arrested by the PNP.
Authorities have arrested the alleged acting chairman of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) during a joint operation by the Philippine National Police (PNP) and Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) in Quezon City on Thursday, Oct. 24.
The National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) said that Wigberto Villarico alias “Baylon”, 68, was served with a warrant of arrest for two counts of kidnapping with murder in his house in Barangay Fairview.
Police Maj. Gen. Sidney S. Hernia, acting regional director of NCRPO, said that Villarico is among the suspects in the kidnapping and murder of two victims back in 2007 in Brgy. Cagsiay, Mauban, Quezon Province.
“The case was originally filed at Regional Trial Court Branch 64 in Quezon but was transferred to Taguig City RTC Branch 266, which certified the validity of the issued warrant of arrest,” Hernia said.
The arresting team also apprehended a certain Maryjoy Lizada, 35, for obstruction of justice after she allegedly provided "false identification of the accused."
According to the NCRPO, Villarico has been using several aliases to evade arrest such as “Benjamin Mendoza”, “Alejandro Montalan”, “Lawrence”, “Joven”, “Valer”, “Mark”, “Cris”, “MJ15”, and “FR88”.
The NCRPO said he was the secretary of the CPP-New People’s Army (NPA) Southern Tagalog Regional Party Committee (STRPC) which operates in Calabarzon (Region 4A) and Mimaropa (Region 4B). It noted that he is also a member of the Political Bureau (Politburo) of the CPP.
In a separate statement, National Security Adviser (NSA) Eduardo Año commended the PNP and AFP for the arrest of Villarico, whom he said replaced the late Benito Tiamzon as the acting chairman of the CPP that has been waging a communist insurgency against the government since the 1960s.
“This operation is a major step in our ongoing efforts to dismantle the leadership of the communist terrorist group and bring lasting peace to our country,” Año said.
Villarico, according to the NSA, assumed leadership of the CPP after the death of Benito Tiamzon during a military encounter in Samar on Aug. 22, 2022.
Villarico’s arrest is a “significant victory in neutralizing the CPP’s leadership structure” as he is the "last Communist leader at-large capable of commanding both the party and its armed wing, the New People’s Army", Año explained.
“The operation exemplifies the unwavering dedication of our security forces to pursue justice and uphold the rule of law. Villarico's capture closes the chapter on a terrorist fugitive responsible for numerous atrocities against the people, including leading violent purges within the CPP-NPA Southern Tagalog Regional Party Committee in the 1980s, where many were executed by his own hands,” the NSA noted.
Surely now that the "last Communist leader at-large capable of commanding both the party and its armed wing, the New People’s Army" has been captured the NPA will finally be leaderless and the last remaining fighters will surrender. Right? Time will tell.
Meanwhile clashes between the NPA and government forces continue. One rebel was killed in a recent clash.
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| https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1997007/npa-rebel-killed-in-agusan-del-sur-clash-2 |
A New People’s Army (NPA) guerrilla was killed in a clash with soldiers in San Luis town, Agusan del Sur on Tuesday, October 22.
Lt. Col. Francisco Garello, public affairs chief of the Army’s 4th Infantry Division (4ID), said that troops of the 26th Infantry Battalion engaged some 50 rebels in an armed encounter in Sitio Tamyang, Barangay Binicalan of San Luis town.
The rebels, according to Garello, were identified with the NPA’s North Central Mindanao Regional Committee.
Soldiers recovered from the still unidentified rebel a Bushmaster M4 rifle, along with assorted war materiel and personal belongings.
The seized firearm added to the haul of three high-powered weapons taken by soldiers from a hidden arms cache of NPA rebels in various areas of the Caraga region in the past few weeks.
One down, how many more to go?
The mastermind behind the MSU bombing in December 2023 has finally been caught.
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| https://www.philstar.com/nation/2024/10/22/2394271/mastermind-msu-campus-bombing-nabbed |
The alleged mastermind in an attack on a Catholic religious ceremony at the Mindanao State University (MSU) in Marawi, Lanao del Sur in December has been arrested.
Arsani Membisa, allegedly a member of the Dawlah Islamiya terror group, was arrested in Iligan City, Lanao del Norte on Oct. 16, the Bangsamoro police reported on Sunday.
The attack, which occurred on Dec. 3, 2003, killed four people and wounded 43 others.
The victims were attending a mass at the Dimaporo Gymnasium located in the MSU campus when an improvised explosive device went off.
Police arested two suspects weeks after the explosion.
Brig. Gen. Romeo Jaime Macapaz, Bangsamoro police director, said residents tipped off authorities about Membisa’s presence in the area.
A joint team of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group and officers of the Lanao del Sur and Iligan City police arrested Membisa at his hideout in Barangay Maria Cristina.
The article says 2003 but it is actually 2023. He is "allegedly a member of the Dawlah Islamiya terror group" which means the DI is still a deadly and active force.
This week 5 DI members were killed while 2 were captured.
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| https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1996990/5-local-is-terrorists-killed-2-captured-in-arrest-ops-in-lanao-del-norte |
Five members of Islamic State-linked Dawlah Islamiyah (DI) terrorist group were slain while two others were captured in a joint military and police operation on Tuesday in the interior village of Bangko in Sultan Naga Dimaporo town, Lanao del Norte.
The operation was launched at 1 a.m. on Tuesday, Brig. Gen. Anthon Abrina, commander of the Army 2nd Mechanized Infantry Brigade, told the Inquirer.
The soldiers and personnel of the Police Regional Offices 9 and 10 were out to serve arrest warrants against Uya Dama Munagen, also known as Lagbas, and Musa Monagen Dama, both identified as members of DI, for murder, kidnapping, and serious illegal detention charges.
As the authorities approached the area, they were fired upon, triggering a fierce 30-minute exchange of gunfire, Abrina said.
Among those killed were Munagen and Dama, Abrina added. Of the two armed men captured, one sustained serious injuries and was rushed to a local hospital for treatment.
Recovered from the scene were two pistols, three M16 assault rifles, three M1 Garand rifles, assorted rifle magazines, an undetermined volume of assorted ammunition, ammunition clips for M1 Garand, and two fragmentation grenades, Abrina said.
The swift actions and seamless coordination between the PNP and the Army were vital in addressing the threats posed by these individuals.” Viray said.Also joining the operation were Army troops from the 3rd Scout Ranger Battalion, 5th Mechanized Infantry Battalion and the 1st Light Reaction Company.
“The success of this joint operation highlights the crucial collaboration between the Philippine National Police and the Armed Forces of the Philippines,” said Major General Gabriel C. Viray III, commander of the Army’s 1st Infantry Division.
Again, how many more members of the Dawlah Islamiya terror group remain? Clearly they pose a threat. Perhaps they will set off another bomb in retaliation for these recent operations. No scenario should be left of the table.
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