AN ALLEGED high-profile member of the New People’s Army (NPA) in Eastern Visayas was arrested in a joint police operation in Naval, Biliran Wednesday, August 12, 2020.

Colonel Julius Coyme, director of Biliran Police Provincial Office, identified the rebel as Luzviminda “Remy” Orillo, 54, a resident of Sitio Bigaa, Barangay San Pablo in Naval town.

Coyme said Orillo was involved in NPA “Operation Venereal Disease” that killed more or less 60 people in 1985.

The Philippine Army discovered the skeletal remains of the victims in a mass grave in Mt. Sapang Dako, Barangay Kaulisihan, Inopacan, Leyte on August 26, 2006.

“Our police force is in all-out campaign against terrorism and campaign to end local communist armed conflict despite this pandemic and we will make sure to bring them before the court of law,” Coyme said in a statement.

Orillo has a warrant of arrest for 15 counts of murder issued by Judge Thelma Bunyi-Medina of the National Capital Judicial Region, RTC-Branch 32 in Manila.

According to Coyme, the arrest of Orillo “will serve as a warning that criminals have no place in the province.”

Police Regional Office (PRO)-Eastern Visayas Director Bernabe Balba commended the Biliran Police Provincial Office, Naval Municipal Police, Libagon Municipal Police, Southern Leyte Maspsta and Regional Intelligence Unit-8 for the arrest of the suspect.

On July 14, 2020, Joint Task Force "Tandaya" also arrested Felomino Salazar Jr., the alleged “purge executioner” of the NPA’s “Operation Venereal Disease” in Leyte. (SunStar Philippines)