Caraga's top ‘underground’ youth leader arrested

From the Philippine News Agency (Mar 22, 2021): Caraga's top ‘underground’ youth leader arrested (By Alexander Lopez)

Renalyn Tejero

The alleged secretary of the Kabataang Makabayan, an underground youth organization of the Communist Party of the Philippines - New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) wanted for murder was arrested in Cagayan de Oro City on Sunday.

In a statement Monday, Brig. Gen. Romeo Caramat Jr., director of Police Regional Office in Caraga (PRO-13), the suspect, Renalyn Tejero, alias Tiray/Teray/Lyn, 25, resident of Barangay Diatagon, Lianga, Surigao del Sur, was arrested in New People’s Army (NPA) was arrested in Barangay Lapasan, Cagayan de Oro City by joint operatives of the Philippine National Police (PNP) and Philippine Army.

“She is also a member of the Executive Committee of the Regional United Front (RUF), Regional White Area Committee of the North Eastern Mindanao Regional Committee (NEMRC) of the NPA,” Caramat said.

Tejero, who is reportedly a full-time member of the Sub-Regional Sentro De Grabidad Southland of the NEMRC, is classified one of the most wanted NPA members in the Regional Priority Target (RPT) of PRO-13 with an arrest warrant against her issued by the Regional Trial Court Branch 34 in Cabadbaran City, Agusan del Norte for murder and multiple attempted murder.

Tejero is said to be one of the primary suspects in the killing of former rebels, Zaldy Acidillo Ybañez and Datu Bernandino Astudillo, in Sitio Inadan, Barangay Magroyong, San Miguel, Surigao del Sur on March 19, 2020.

Caramat said the suspect is involved in the organizing and recruitment of the youths and students into the NPA and implicated in various NPA-initiated atrocities in Surigao del Sur and other parts of the Caraga Region.

“We affirm that her apprehension was based on the strength of warrants of arrest issued by the local court,” Caramat said.

Caramat credited the local residents and communities for the success of the operation leading to Tejero's arrest.

“With the support of communities, I believe that the days are numbered against those NPA members with warrants of arrest,” Caramat said.

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

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1134397