Military targets 2 NPA leaders

From the Mindanao Times (Dec 29, 2021): Military targets 2 NPA leaders (By RHODA GRACE SARON)

THE MILITARY has started running after two most wanted high ranking leaders of the New People’s Army in Menandro Villanueva and Eric Casilao after the death of a top Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) member in Davao de Oro.

In a report, the military identified Villanueva, 69, known as Bok in the movement, as the most wanted CPP-NPA leader in Mindanao as he is the secretary of Komisyon Mindanao (Kommid).

A bounty of P5.6 million has been dangled for the head of Villanueva, who has been facing a murder case.

Casilao, the military added, is the secretary of Southern Mindanao Regional Committee and a P5.4 million bounty has been offered for his head.

In a press conference on Sunday at the 1001st Infantry Brigade headquarters in Maco, Davao de Oro, Major General Ernesto Torres Jr., 10th Infantry Division commander, said it is crucial to neutralize Villanueva because of his role in the movement.

“His pictures were distributed and posters posted around because we still know that he is still there in the operational area,” Torres said.

Brigadier General Jesus Durante III, 1001st Infantry Brigade commander, said his unit suspected that the two have been holed in Mabini, Davao de Oro after an encounter recently.

“So you can now see troops around in that area to include the PNP (Philippine National Police) and we are thinking that we have cornered them in the area,” Durante said as he urged the people to report if they have valuable pieces of information that would result in the neutralization of the two.
https://mindanaotimes.com.ph/2021/12/29/military-targets-2-npa-leaders/