A MAN discharged from a hospital in Bukidnon Monday, May 28, turned to be one of the most wanted leaders of the New People’s Army (NPA) in Southern Mindanao.
This was the revelation of government forces who accosted a certain Elizalde Cañete, 36, after he was released from the Don Carlos Doctors Hospital (DCDH) in Don Carlos, Bukidnon Monday.
Cañete was confined at the Don Carlos hospital from May 11 to 28 for treatment of multiple bullet wounds.
Superintendent Lemuel Gonda, spokesperson of the Police Regional Office-Northern Mindanao (PRO-10), said the guerilla leader was brought to and detained at Don Carlos municipal police station Tuesday morning, May 29.
Cañete, a resident of Barangay Monkayo, Compostela Valley, is said to be a commander of the NPA's Pulang Bagani Command (PBC-1), Regional Operations Command (ROC) of Southern Mindanao Regional Committee (SMRC).
He was arrested by virtue of an arrest warrant for murder issued by a court in Panabo City, Davao del Norte.
He allegedly sustained multiple gunshot wounds during an encounter between his group and the troops from 103rd brigade, Philippine Army in Kitaotao, Bukidnon last May 10.
Authorities said Cañete replaced the deceased Leoncito Pitao alias Parago, the former leader of the PBC-1, SMRC, which covers the boundaries of Bukidnon, Davao del Norte and the mountainous districts of Davao City.
Gonda said the Bukidnon police and the military have remained alert should the NPA fighters attempt to rescue their leader.
"Apil nana sa atong assumption. Ato nang gi-alert with Bukidnon Police office and their Provincial Mobile Force Battalion (PMFB) in coordination with the Philippine Army,"Gonda said.
On the other hand, PRO-Northern Mindanao director Chief Superintendent Timoteo Pacleb also said they will continue to conduct manhunt operations against personalities with pending arrest warrants.
Pacleb also ordered all police units not to let their guard down and prepare for any atrocities and attacks that may be launched by the NPA rebels.
"We will continue our efforts in ISO operations in coordination with the Philippine Army and strengthen the red teaming inspections in order to assess and prepare for any atrocities by the Communist NPA terrorists,"Pacleb said.
Meanwhile, the military identified one of the NPA combatants killed in a series of clashes in Lagonglong, Misamis Oriental over the weekend.
One of the fatalities was known as Odelo Compas alias Sapayanan, a functional staff for explosives/ordnance and production of Guerilla Front 4B of North Central Mindanao Regional Committee (NCMRC), while the other one remained unidentified.
The military said a functional staff is the one responsible for making and producing improvised explosive device and landmines.
The gun battle also resulted to the wounding of a government soldier who was evacuated to Camp Evangelista Station Hospital in Cagayan de Oro City, Monday morning.
“NPA terrorists are the reason why there are delays of development in the areas of Mindanao. They are desperately recruiting people that will join their failed armed struggle by force, threat and intimidation. Further, NPA terrorists are the ones laying down IEDs and landmines that endanger not only lives of our soldiers but also the innocent civilians. Campos is a bomb maker himself. He makes landmines and IEDs proving that NPAs disrespect the International Humanitarian Law and are worthy to be called as terrorists,” said Major General Ronald Villanueva, Commander of 4th Infantry Division.