CALAMBA CITY, Laguna, April 17 (PIA)--The joint forces of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police (AFP-PNP) by virtue of a search warrant, arrested the regional intelligence officer of the NPA’s Southern Tagalog Regional Party Committee in Brgy. Bunducan, Nasugbu, Batangas at about 9:30 in the morning of Thursday.
The suspect was identified by government forces as Lamberto Asinas alias Baste who will face charges for Illegal Possession of Firearms and Ammunition at Regional Trial Court Branch 27 of Sta Cruz, Laguna under Executive Judge Cynthia R Marino-Ricablanca.
The troops were able to recover from the suspect's possession a Caliber .45 pistol, numerous ammunition, one hand grenade, laptop, cellphone and enemy documents.
Colonel Alex Rillera, Commander of the 202nd Brigade said the combined security forces were able to locate the terrorists' safe house through reports from the neighborhood who observed suspicious activities over the past few weeks.
"We were able to confirm his identity through the help of several former rebels who worked with him before, one of whom was included in the mass surrender last March 29 during the NPA’s 51st Anniversary," added Col Rillera.
Following the mass declaration of the communist terrorists as Persona Non Grata in CALABARZON, “the NPAs no longer have a safe haven to stay in the region because the people are no longer afraid and no longer supportive of them as proven by this arrest by virtue of legal document duly issued by a court of law.
Per the military’s record, Batangas activated the Provincial Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict or PTF ELCAC on September 9 last year which, as of the moment, resulted to 625 localities in the province issuing resolutions banning the presence of the terrorists in their areas.
According to Major General Arnulfo Marcelo Burgos Jr, Commander of the Army’s 2nd Infantry Division, Asinas is the 11th NPA leader who is considered as high value target to be neutralized since 2019.
It can be recalled that 2ID was directly involved in the arrest of Jaime Padilla, alias Diego, the NPA’s Southern Tagalog Regional Spokesman last November at the posh Cardinal Santos Medical Center as well as the killing of Armando Lazarte alias Pat Romano in Antipolo City last December.
Major General Burgos lauded the involved soldiers and policemen for their "commitment and dedication to win the peace and ensure the safety and security of our constituents while performing frontline duties in the 340 Quarantine Control Points established in our area to contain the spread of the deadly COVID-19 virus."
He assured the people that "despite the prevailing health crisis, RTF-ELCAC 4A will never waver in our sworn duty of ending local communist armed conflict as well as in the delivery of basic services to the grassroots of our society not only to defeat the corona virus, but more importantly, the deadlier NPA virus."
"The NPA terrorists are now running out of space, they no longer enjoy mass base support, and they are no longer relevant to the communities, thus, expect that they will be decimated soon which will pave the way for the much coveted peace, prosperity and development that every Filipino citizen truly deserve," ended Major General Burgos as he called upon "the few remaining NPA terrorists to put down their arms, return to the folds of law and avail the benefits from E-CLIP because we will get them regardless whether they are dead or alive."
It can be recalled that three weeks ago, soldiers killed a certain Noel Levanta, a hardcore cadre of Metro Manila Regional Party Committee’s Regional Education Bureau, during an encounter following an NPA ceasefire violation in Brgy Puray, Rodriguez, Rizal. (CPG, PIA-4A/AFP-Southern Luzon Command)
https://pia.gov.ph/news/articles/1039210
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