By AARON RECUENCO
Joint police and military operatives have arrested a National Democratic Front (NDF) peace consultant and two leaders of the New People’s Army (NPA) in a raid in Liliw, Laguna.
Director General Oscar Albayalde, chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP), said soldiers from the 202nd Brigde and policemen swooped down on the lair of Francisco Fernandez at around 5 a.m. in Barangay Calumpang.
Aside from Fernandez, who used to be a consultant for the NDF before it was terminated by President Duterte, also nabbed were Cleofe Lagtapon and Gee-Ann Perez.
The 66-year-old Lagtapon is reportedly a partner of Fernandez. She is reportedly the Regional Deputy for Communications and Education of the NPA operating in Negros provinces.
The 20-year-old Perez, on the other hand, is a staff of the Regional Communications Staff of the NPA in Negros Island.
“The operation that led to their arrest is part of our aggressive campaign against crime, terrorism and wanted persons. The subject of the operation, Francisco Fernandez, has standing arrest warrant for murder,” said Albayalde.
Seized from those arrested, according to Albayalde, were three handguns with various bullets, three hand grenades, various documents, cellular phones, a laptop and several USBs.
Maj. Gen. Rhoderick Parayno, commanding general of the 2nd Infantry Division, said the 71-year-old Fernandez and the two others are currently under their custody.
Paayno said Fernandez is the sixth NDF consultant who were already arrested since Duterte decided not to talk anymore with the communist rebels.
He said there are 17 more NDF consultants who were given safe conduct passes.
EX-PRIEST
Chief Supt. Edward Carranza, director of the CALABARZON (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon) regional police, confirmed that Fernandez used to be a priest in Negros Island before he joined the NPA.
“In the past, we had a lot of operations to get him but he would always evade arrest. There were several people arrested before but they were just look-a-like,” said Carranza.
Carranza said Fernandez is currently confined at an Army hospital after he complained of chest pains after the arrest.
“He is an old man so we understand his situation. But the arrest warrants will be returned to the court that issued them,” said Carranza.
Based on their background check, Carranza said Fernandez has four standing arrest warrants for murder.
Fernandez also serves as spokesman for NPA operating in Negros and the deputy secretary for the organization.
WHY LAGUNA?
Fernandez is the second top leader of NPA arrested in Laguna in recent months, according to Senior Supt. Eleazar Matta, director of the Laguna Provincial Police.
He said Laguna seems to be the favorite hiding place of the communist rebels due to continuously increasing population in the province, aside from the fact that residents are getting used to presence of strangers due to migration.
“They have all they need in Laguna. They also prefer the province probably due to its strategic location,” said Matta.
Laguna is near the mountainous area of Quezon province.
Albayalde said all the documents and other items seized from Fernandez will be turned over to the military to check on their intelligence value. Among them, he said, are the laptop and the USBs.
“The military intelligence will check on them. We also would like to find out if they have connections with some candidates based on the documents that would be extracted from the laptop and USBs,” said Albayalde.
The Department of the Interior and Local Government earlier said that they are monitoring various re-electionist and candidates who are supporting the NPA.
