Notorious NPA rebels fall

Notorious NPA rebels fall | Daily Tribune

Authorities on Sunday reported the arrest of a leader and a member of the remnant group of the New People’s Army (NPA) operating in the Davao region.

Philippine Army 20th Infantry Division spokesperson Major Ruben Gadut said the two NPA rebels under the NPA’s Southern Mindanao Regional Committee (SMRC) were arrested during the joint military and police law enforcement operation conducted in St. Andrew, Purok 23B, Isla Suerte, Barangay 76A, Bucana, Talomo District, Davao City on 28 December.

The authorities were executing an arrest warrant against Benny Flores Mendoza, alias Jack/Kikay/Porong/Larry, a political instructor and member of the SMRC Executive Committee (Execom).

The warrant stemmed from a violation of Republic Act 10364, or the Expanded Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2012, which was filed against the NPA leader at Regional Trial Court Branch 11, Branch 56, Compostela, Davao de Oro.

Also arrested during the operation was Francisco Rotol Sud-organ, alias Yassie/Danny/Dino, an SMRC member. Recovered from Sud-organ were a .45-caliber pistol and a fragmentation grenade.

Mendoza and Sud-organ are currently under the custody of the Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group in San Pedro, Davao City.

Army’s 10th ID commander MGen. Allan Hambala said the law enforcement operation highlights the strong collaboration among security forces to ensure the country’s peace and safety.

“The dwindling remnants of the SMRC are experiencing a leadership vacuum since Region XI was declared insurgency-free,” Hambala said.

He then warned that the 10th ID will continue intensifying its Peace, Law Enforcement, and Development Support operations with other sectors to prevent the resurgence of communist terrorist groups in the region.

In the last quarter of 2024 alone, the Philippine Army logged the arrest of four high-ranking NPA officials in joint AFP-PNP operations, including Ruel Villanueva Cabales alias Aman; SMRC Secretary; Catherine Apares Guinoo alias Dewen; Deputy Secretary and member of the SMRC Execom; and Porferio Tuna Jr. alias Danny/Ampong/Ka Simon — the 2nd Deputy Secretary and Executive Committee member of the NPA.