Alleged NPA leader arrested in Oriental Mindoro

April 19, 2020

An alleged New People's Army (NPA) leader was apprehended after a 10-minute clash with the military in Oriental Mindoro on Friday.

Capt. Jayrald Ternio,  public affairs chief of the 2nd Infantry Division, said captured was Lordan Malucon alias Jandie, the vice platoon leader of Platun Dos under the NPA’s Sub Regional Military Area 4D in Oriental Mindoro.

Ternio said Malucon was captured during the encounter at the vicinity of Brgy Buong Lupa around 10:30 am.

"The combined forces of soldiers and policemen were able to track and engage the NPA terrorists through information given by the locals that a group of NPAs were extorting and coercing them to'share' the DSWD’s social amelioration program and 4Ps cash aid distribution following the implementation of the Enhanced Community Quarantine," he said.

Ternio said the firefight  resulted to the recovery of one M16 rifle, one Cal .45 pistol, hand grenade, ammunition, IED components, personal effects and enemy documents with high intelligence value.

Brigadier General Antonio Lastimado, commander of 203rd Brigade, said “this successful military operation is among the many indicators that the NPA terrorists are no longer welcome in the region.”

Lastimado also expressed his gratitude to the people of Mindoro for their "unwavering trust and support to the soldiers which led to the communist terrorists’ inability to recover their lost mass base in the region thereby making their defeat in this part of the country very imminent.

"Major General Arnulfo Marcelo Burgos Jr, commander of the Philippine Army’s 2nd Infantry (Jungle Fighter) Division, congratulated the soldiers and policemen for their "commitment and dedication in pursuing peace and ensuring the safety and security of our constituents while performing frontline duties against the greatest threat which our generation will ever face.

"Ternio said per military’s records, around 3,600 soldiers and military reservists are manning 340 quarantine control points across Southern Tagalog.

"Joint AFP-PNP checkpoints have been established in the Island of Mindoro to support the ongoing pursuit operations against the fleeing NPA terrorists," he said.

"All available military assets have been placed on high alert," he added. Robina Asido/DMS