DEPARTMENT of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Eduardo Año lauded Friday, November 9, the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) for the arrest of Vicente Ladlad.

Ladlad, consultant of the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP), was arrested around 1:30 a.m. Thursday, November 8, in a “safe house” in Barangay San Bartolome, Novaliches, Quezon City. Also nabbed were the safe house owners Alberto and Virginia Villamor.

"(It only proves that) No one is above the law. Kapag ikaw ay nagkamali, it is imperative that the laws of the land be imposed as it was deemed so. He and his cohorts, were found to be in possession of high-caliber firearms which is clearly in violation of the law," Año said.

He said Ladlad’s arrest is a classic case of "a wolf in a sheep's clothing," as he pretended to be an advocate of peace yet took up arms against the government and espoused violence.

"Finally, the long arm of the law has caught Mr. Ladlad. He has been avoiding incarceration by claiming that he is a peace consultant and a Jasig (Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantees)-protected person," he said.

"We are not at all shocked of his possession of high-caliber firearms. Kung titingnan mo ang background ng mga ito, you will see that they have been working to oust the government and our democratic way of life," Año added.

Recovered from Ladlad and the Villamor couple were assorted high-powered firearms, prompting the police to charge them with illegal possession of firearms.

Police said what happened Thursday was a “plain” law enforcement operation that was conducted following the issuance of a search warrant. Officials said they only found out that the person nabbed during the operation was a “big fish.”

Año said Ladlad, who is “elusive,” is facing multiple murder charges due to his alleged involvement in the New People's Army's "Oplan Venereal Disease," which was linked to the mass grave discovered in August 2006 in Sitio Sapang Dako, Barangay Culisihan, Inopacan, Leyte. (SunStar Philippines)