Two suspected Communist rebels arrested in Cavite

March 21, 2019

Authorities arrested two suspected rebels, including an alleged high ranking official of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), in a law enforcement operation in Cavite on Wednesday.

National Capitol Region Police Director Guillermo Eleazar said arrested were Renante Gamara alias Mike or Tony, a central committee member and a consultant of the National Democratic Front (NDF) and his cohort, a certain Arturo Joseph Balagat, a retired Catholic priest.

Senior Insp. Myrna Diploma, public information officer of the NCRPO, said Gamara “was among the 21 NDF consultants who were temporarily released as a gesture of goodwill by the Duterte administration to participate in the peace negotiations in Oslo, Norway in 2016.

“After the termination of the peace talks by virtue of Proclamation No. 360 issued by President Rodrigo Roa Duterte on November 23, 2017 and following his orders to arrest said NDF consultants who were released from prison, Gamara went into hiding and became a member of the central committee...,” she noted.

“Further investigation shows that Gamara was arrested in 2012 in Las Pinas City by virtue of two warrants of arrest, one for kidnapping with murder of a soldier, PFC Eriberto Eclavea in Mauban, Quezon and the other for frustrated murder committed against a rebel returnee,” she added.

Diploma said investigation showed Balagat is “presently the provincial chairperson of Cooperative Development Council of Cavite and vice chairperson of Regional Coop Development Council of Region 4A.”

“He also serves as the President of Elena and Remedios Monzon Family Foundation who caters/sponsor university scholarship program,” she said.

“It was further disclosed he was ordained as a priest way back on September 5, 1975 at Imus Cavite and eventually assigned as priest in charge of 17 barrios in Indang, Cavite and at the same time designated as guidance counsellor of St. Gregory Academy in Indang, Cavite for 2 years,” she noted.

“He was transferred to different parochial church as the parish priest under the Diocese of Imus until 1991. On 1992, he migrated to California as a migrant Filipino priest and thereafter became parish priest under the Diocese of California up to his early retirement in 2013,” she added.

Diploma said the rebels were arrested during the implementation of search warrant for the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act, at the vicinity of 162 General Bautista Street, Poblacion II-A, Imus Cavite around 5:30 pm after a month-long surveillance.

“Acting on a tip from concerned citizens, police operatives applied for a search warrant against Gamara which was granted by Executive Judge Cynthia Marino-Ricablanca of RTC Branch 27 of the 4th Judicial Region of Sta. Cruz, Laguna,” she said.

Diploma said authorities recovered "one cal 9mm pistol with magazine, two hand grenades, several electronic devices and gadgets containing subversive information, several subversive documents, and cash amounting to P90,000" during the operation.

She also noted that a case for violation of the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulations Act of 2013 and Illegal Possession of Explosives and violation of the Omnibus Election Code are being prepared against Gamara for filing at the Department of Justice.

Diploma said the recovered evidence will be presented to the issuing court in Sta. Cruz, Manila while Balagat will remain under custody of Regional Special Operating Unit of NCRPO for investigation. Robina Asido/DMS