2 NPA rebels operating in Caraga arrested

From the Philippine News Agency (Jul 23, 2022): 2 NPA rebels operating in Caraga arrested (By Alexander Lopez)

NABBED. Jeffrey Salon, 41, a New People’s Army member with three standing arrest warrants, fell to authorities from the Caraga Region in the City of San Jose Del Monte, Bulacan on Friday (July 22, 2022). The day before, another rebel leader operating in the region was arrested in Butuan City. (Photo courtesy of ADNPPO)

Two communist New People’s Army (NPA) rebels in the Caraga Region with standing arrest warrants were nabbed in separate operations conducted by the Philippine National Police and the Army.

In a report Saturday, Jeffrey Salon (alias Ka Jerome/Jeckfred), 41, was arrested by joint operatives from the Agusan del Sur Police Provincial Office (ADNPPO), Intelligence Division of the Police Regional Office in Caraga (PRO-13), and Criminal Investigation and Detection Group in Barangay Kaypian, City of San Jose Del Monte, Bulacan on Friday afternoon.

He is the 3rd Most Wanted Person in the Caraga Region.

Col. Helson Walin, ADNPPO Director, said in a statement Saturday the warrants were issued on July 12, 2006, by the Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 34 in Cabadbaran City, Agusan del Norte for rebellion; on Feb. 17, 2017 by the RTC Branch 29 in Surigao City, Surigao del Norte for murder; and on Jan. 11, 2013 by the RTC Branch 29 in Surigao City for attempted murder.

“The accused is allegedly one of the suspects who ambushed the elements of 30th Infantry Battalion sometime in December 2005 in Placer, Surigao del Norte that injured six soldiers,” Walin said.

On July 10, PRO-13 received information on the location of Salon in the Bulacan city where he worked as a backhoe operator.

After a series of follow-up operations, PRO-13 and the ADNPPO were able to establish the identity of Salon, leading to his arrest.

The arresting units also seized from Salon one 9mm pistol, two magazines, 27 pieces of ammunition, and an identification card with the name Jecfred Solon.

The 29th Infantry Battalion (29IB) also reported on Saturday the arrest here of John Bryan Tocmo Siscon (alias Nash/Natoy), a ranking leader of the Sentro de Grabidad 16, Guerrilla Front 16, North Eastern Mindanao Regional Committee of the NPA.

Siscon was arrested in Purok 5, Sitio Manggabao, Barangay Baobaoan on Thursday by the operatives from the 29IB, PRO-13, Butuan City Police Station 4, and 65th Infantry Battalion.

The suspect has a standing arrest warrant issued on June 17, 2020, by the RTC Branch 34 in Cabadbaran City for multiple attempted murder.

The suspect yielded one improvised explosive device, two dynamites, and an eight-meter detonating cord.

The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) - NPA is listed as a terrorist organization by the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the Philippines.

The National Democratic Front was formally designated as a terrorist organization by the Anti-Terrorism Council on June 23, 2021, citing it as “an integral and inseparable part” of the CPP-NPA created in April 1973.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1179612