BY AARON RECUENCO
A ranking official of the New People’s Army (NPA) in Mindanao was killed Thursday morning after he allegedly tried to shoot it out with lawmen during an operation in Tandag City, Surigao del Sur.
Gen. Debold Sinas, chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP), said the operation also resulted in the death of the companion of Alvin Luque who was also believed to be a communist rebel operating in Mindanao.
Luque was reportedly the spokesman of the National Democratic Front of Mindanao and was also a member of the Executive Committee of Komisyon Mindanao (KOMMID).
According to Sinas, Luque carries a P6 million reward based on the order of battle of the Department of National Defense (DND) and the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).
“This is part of our campaign to intensify the implementation of the arrest warrants against wanted persons, especially personalities of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army,” said Sinas.
Brig. Gen. Romeo Caramat, director of the CARAGA regional police, said the operation against Luque was conducted at around 1:15 a.m. at the Hermenia’s Resort, Barangay San Agustin Sur in Tandag City.
Caramat said his men were supposed to serve arrest warrants against Luque when the latter and his companion allegedly resisted and engaged the policemen in a gun battle. The two died during the ensuing gunfight.
Luque is the subject of four separate arrest warrants for cases of kidnapping with serious illegal detention, attempted murder, and violation of the Expanded Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2012.
Seized in the area were a grenade, 500 bullets for AK-47 and materials allegedly used for making improvised bombs.
The national government has intensified the campaign against communist rebels and even members of militant groups tagged as legal fronts of the CPP-NPA.
Recently, President Duterte rejected a declaration of Christmas truce with the communist rebels. (Aaron Recuenco)
