NEGROS. New People’s Army leader Ka Frank Fernandez talks with Moises Padilla Mayor Magdaleno Peña following the former’s arrest. (Contributed photo)
BRIGADIER General Benedict Arevalo, commanding officer of the 303rd Brigade of the Philippine Army based in Barangay Minoyan, Murcia, is crediting Moises Padilla Mayor Magdaleno Peña in the arrest of National Democratic Front spokesperson Ka Frank Fernandez.
In a press conference Wednesday morning, March 26, Arevalo said Peña contributed resources to the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP), which resulted in the arrest of Fernandez and his wife Cleofe Lagtapon. Arevalo said it was a “historical event,” as along with Fernadez's arrest, the army also recovered a lot of intelligence information from the mobile phones and laptops seized from the rebel leader.
The informant who led law enforcement agencies to the whereabouts of the rebel leader will receive a reward of P8 million from the government.
In a separate press conference on Wednesday, Peña presented to the media the video of his 35-minute conversation with Fernandez at the hospital where the latter has been confined. Fernandez, in the video, admitted that he has multiple organ diseases and has been undergoing dialysis. He is 71 years old.
Pena said even Fernandez was astounded that he was arrested in just two months, while the AFP and PNP spent years trying to track down and arrest the rebel leader.
Peña said that Fernandez left Negros last October.
Peña also held a meeting with Fernandez and urged him to tell his followers from the NPA in Negros to stop their killings.
The mayor also noted that some members of the AFP and PNP were eager to kill Fernandez in retribution for his part in killing their fellow soldiers and police officers in Negros, but he urged them to keep Fernandez alive and face justice.
Peña added he had already forgiven Fernandez, over his part in the ambush against him in the town of Pulupandan in 2007, which resulted in the deaths of two of his aides.
Fernandez and Lagtapon were arrested last Sunday, March 24 in the town of Liliw in Laguna.
Peña described Fernandez’s miserable living situation in Laguna.
Their arrest came two days after President Rodrigo Duterte permanently suspended peace talks with the communist rebels.
https://www.sunstar.com.ph/article/1798947/Bacolod/Local-News/NPA-leaders-gadgets-rich-in-rebel-intel
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