Police-military team arrest two alleged top Communist Party of the Philippines officials

October 24, 2017

Authorities arrested two alleged high-ranking officials of the Communist Party of the  Philippines- New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) in Negros Occidental last October 19. In a press conference Tuesday, Philippine National Police Director General Ronald dela Rosa presented the two suspects identified as Aurora Cayon alias Lilay, of the CPP-NPA National Finance Commission and Louie Antonio Martinez alias Louie Castro, logistics staff of National Military Commission. Dela Rosa said combined elements of PNP and Armed Forces of the Philippines armed with a search warrant arrested the suspects in Barangay Dulao, Bagos City around 1:30 pm. Security forces confiscated pistols, hand grenades, and ammunition. He said the arrest of the two officials is a big blow for the communist group as the suspects were in charge of generating resources for their group. “This is a big blow because finance and logistics are the bread butter of the organization of the NPA,” he said. Dela Rosa said he is expecting retaliatory attacks from the rebels. “Based on experience, we really expect them to react. They are doing atrocities even if no one are arrested, how much more that we caught a big fish?,” he said. He added Cayon held several high positions in the CPP-NPA such as executive committee member, finance head of Komiteng Mindanao, second deputy secretary of Southern Mindanao Regional Committee, and second deputy secretary of Northeastern Mindanao. Suspects will face charges of violating RA 10591 or the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Law and RA 9516, Illegal Possession of Explosives.  Ella Dionisio/DMS