Top Cordillera Red leader evades capture

From InterAksyon (Sep 10): Top Cordillera Red leader evades capture

A ranking communist rebel leader in the Cordilleras managed to escape Monday from security forces out to arrest him, police admitted.

Superintendent Davy Vicente Limmong, spokesman of the Cordillera police office, said the arrest team did manage to capture the three companions of Simon Naogsan Sr., alias “Filiw,” during the operation on a hotel in Sitio Mabbay, Barangay Poblacion in Sagada town, Mt. Province.

However, he said the three, who used “fictitious names” and carried “several identification cards,” were merely “invited for investigation” because they were not subjects for arrest.

Limmong said authorities found “subversive documents, a cellular phone, flash drive, and cash amounting to P150,000” in the room occupied by the three.

The police officer said a joint team from the Sagada police, Regional Public Safety Battalion, Benguet-Provincial Public Safety Company, and Military Intelligence Group 1 led by Senior Superintendent Ulysses Abellerda carried out the operation against Naogsan Monday afternoon.

He said Naogsan is spokesman of the New People’s Army in the region and of the Cordillera Peoples’ Democratic Front.

He is also secretary of the NPA guerrilla front in Mt. Province and adjacent provinces.

http://www.interaksyon.com/article/70415/top-cordillera-red-leader-evades-capture