AUTHORITIES arrested Thursday morning a “high-ranking leader” of the central committee of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP)-New People’s Army in Imus, Cavite.
National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) Chief Guillermo Eleazar said Renante Gamara was arrested around 5:30 a.m. along with his companion, Arturo Joseph Balagat, a retired Catholic priest, on General Bautista Street, Poblacion II-A in Imus, Cavite.
The arrest came following the issuance of a search warrant against Gamara over illegal possession of firearms.
Recovered during the search were one caliber 9mm pistol with magazine, two hand grenades, several electronic devices and gadgets containing subversive information, several subversive documents, and cash amounting to P90,000.
Gamara was arrested in 2012 in Las Piñas City by virtue of two warrants of arrest -- one for kidnapping with murder of a soldier in Quezon and another for frustrated murder committed against of a rebel returnee.
He was among the 21 National Democratic Front (NDF) consultants who were temporarily released to take part in the peace negotiations between the government and communist leaders in Oslo, Norway in 2016.
Eleazar said Gamara went into hiding after President Rodrigo Duterte terminated the peace talks on November 23, 2017 and ordered the re-arrest of released NDF consultants.
Gamara will be facing charges for violation of Republic Act (RA) 10915 or the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulations Act of 2013, and RA 9516 or the illegal possession of explosives, as well as violation of the Omnibus Election Code, which will be filed before the Department of Justice.
Balagat, on the other hand, will remain under the custody of the NCRPO for further investigation.
Earlier, the Philippine National Police also arrested CPP key leaders Rafael Baylosis, Vicente Ladlad and Rey Claro Casamber over illegal possession of firearms. (SunStar Philippines)