JOINT military and police operatives have arrested three ranking leaders of the New People’s Army in a law enforcement operation in General Santos City, the military said Tuesday, January 31, 2023.
Arrested on Sunday, January 29, were the following: Yvonne Losaria, 3rd deputy secretary of the NPA’s Far South Mindanao Region; Ruben
Saluta, secretary of the national propaganda commission; and, Presentacion Saluta, Ruben’s wife, the head of Komiteng Rehiyonal Panay.
The Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom) said the three ranking NPA leaders were arrested by troops of the 1st Mechanized Infantry Brigade
and policemen with the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group-12 as the lead unit.
Losaria has pending warrants of arrest for rebellion while Ruben for multiple murders and frustrated mureder and his wife, Presentacion for
violation of Republic Act 6968 or rebellion, coup d′état, sedition and disloyalty.
The troops, during the joint operation, seized from the three arrested ranking NPA rebels five M-16 rifles, one M-14 rifle, one Carbine
rifle, assorted electronic devices, propaganda materials, personal belongings, and other war materials.
They were placed under the custody of the CIDG-12 including the pieces of evidence seized from them.
Meanwhile, Major General Roy Galido, commander of Westmincom, commended the troops of the 1st Mechanized Infantry Brigade and the police counterparts for the successful operation.
“This success is a testament to the positive result of good interagency collaboration and cooperation. I am pleased to hear the
news that three high-value individuals of the communist terrorist group fell into the hands of the government forces. We expect that
their followers will come out soon,” Galido said. (SunStar Zamboanga)