CPP crippled with arrest of top rank officer

From the Daily Tribune (Jun 4): CPP crippled with arrest of top rank officer

The Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) is now crippled with the arrest on Monday of a top-ranking leader, who was “turned in” by another senior CPP-NPA personality, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said yesterday.

Lt. Col. Harold Cabunoc, AFP-Public Affairs Office chief, said that the arrest of Adelberto Silva is a huge setback on the part of the CPP-NPA.

According to Cabunoc, the information that led to the arrest of Silva, his party wife Sharon Cabusao and Isidro de Lima last Monday night in Bacoor, Cavite, was provided to the military by another senior CPP-NPA leader.

“The overall operation of the CPP-NPA is now crippled — both political side and the armed component…they are headless, so no one is directing the communist operations,” said Cabunoc.

Prior to his arrest, Silva was serving as the overall operations leader of the CPP-NPA as secretary general of the CPP-Central Committee.

“As secretary general, Silva directed all political and combat operations of the communist group…he has control over the fronts, he plans and orchestrate the operations,” added Cabunoc.

Silva succeeded Wilma Austria as CPP-Central Committee secretary general after her arrest in March 2014, along with her husband Benito Tiamzon, who was the committee chairman.

According to Cabunoc, Silva rose from the communist rank starting in Region VIII and went up to the CPP-NPA’s high command.

“He was also involved in the Inopacan massacre in Leyte in the 1980s…he slowly rose to the communist ranks as their leaders were neutralized one after the other,” said Cabunoc.

Silva is wanted for 15 counts of murder and the subject of arrest warrant issued by the Regional Trial Court Branch 18 of Hilongos, Leyte.

Cabunoc expressed optimism that more communist leaders would be neutralized soon with the continuing relentless operations being conducted jointly by the AFP and the police.

Meanwhile, two NPA bandits voluntarily surrendered to the Army’s 57th Infantry Battalion in North Cotabato province.

Those who surrendered were Roger Antipuesto, alias Jess, and Ryan Calio, alias Bunso. They brought along an M16 rifle with magazines and 250 rounds of ammunition.

As of yesterday, there are 79 NPA members who have surrendered to different military units of the AFP’s Eastern Mindanao Command while 38 others with warrant of arrest from different concerned courts were arrested by the joint AFP/PNP elements in Eastern Mindanao area since Jan. 1, 2015.

http://www.tribune.net.ph/nation/cpp-crippled-with-arrest-of-top-rank-officer