DAVAO CITY – Authorities arrrested an alleged high-ranking leader of the New People’ Army (NPA) along with his brother in Madaum, Tagum City on Tuesday morning, February 16.
Captain Rhyan Batchar, spokesperson for the 10th Infantry Division, said Ariel Arbitrario alias Marlon was arrested by the joint forces of the Crime Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG), police operatives from Tagum and Compostela Valley Provincial Police office, and the military.
He said Arbitrario is the front secretary of Guerrilla Front 2 of the NPA’s Southern Mindanao Regional Committee (SMRC), while his brother, Crispolo Arbitrario alias Calvin, is a member of the NPA’s Special Operations Group (SOG) of the Sub-Regional Committee 2 (SRC 2).
“The two were arrested by virtue of Warrant of Arrests for murder with criminal case numbers 7925 and 6320 respectively, which were filed at RTC Branch 3, Nabunturan, Compostela Valley Province,” said Batchar.
He said the arresting team recovered a caliber .45 and caliber .38 pistols, one fragmentation grenade, an improvised hand grenade, and a handheld radio from their possession.
The two were brought to Davao del Norte CIDG office for documentation and subsequent filing of cases for violation of the Election Gun Ban and illegal possession firearms and explosives.
During a press conference on Wednesday, February 17, Brigadier General Ronnie Evangelista, deputy commander of the Eastern Mindanao Command, said the threats of communist insurgency remains significant in the area of Eastmincom.
He said once they resolve the insurgency here, the entire problem of insurgency in the Philippines will be resolved.
“In the whole area of the Philippines, the threats as far as the (Communist Party of the Philippines, New People’s Army and National Democratic Front is concerned is (strong) here in the Eastmincom area. In other areas their presence is very minimal already,” said Evangelista. (davaotoday.com)
