TWO activists were arrested in separate operations in Tarlac and Pampanga on Tuesday morning, March 30, 2021.

Joseph “JC” Canlas, Alyansa ng Magbubukid sa Gitnang Luzon (AMGL) leader and Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) vice chairperson, was arrested in Mexico, Pampanga.

Pol Viuya, Bayan-Central Luzon and Workers Alliance of Region III leader, was nabbed in Bamban, Tarlac.

Both were brought to the Central Luzon police headquarters in San Fernando, Pampanga, KMP said in a statement.

“Canlas and Viuya were persistently red-tagged and vilified by the NTF-Elcac (National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict) in tarpaulins and posters branding them as recruiters of the New People's Army (NPA),” the group said.

Brigadier General Albert Ferro, director of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG), said the arrests were part of the nationwide simultaneous anti-crime and law enforcement operation.

He said CIDG agents had a search warrant against Canlas for firearms and ammunition. Canlas also has a standing arrest warrant for malicious mischief.

Recovered from his possession were various firearms and explosives, Ferro said.

No additional information was released on Viuya’s arrest.

Their arrest was made around three weeks after March 7, when nine activists were killed during simultaneous police operations in Calabarzon. On March 28, a labor leader was killed by unidentified gunmen in Calamba, Laguna. (SunStar Philippines)