2 RANKING NPA LEADERS NABBED

TWO ranking leaders of the New People’s Army (NPA) were arrested by joint military and police forces Sunday midnight in Sultan Naga Dimaporo, Lanao del Norte, officials said Monday, December 2.

Lieutenant Colonel Rolando Orengo, Army’s 5th Mechanized Infantry Battalion commander, said Christopher Cañete alias

Ka Glock, and Virjon Virtudazo alias Ka Thunder were arrested in Dableston Village, Sultan Naga Dimaporo.

Orengo said seized from them were an improvised explosive devised (IED), a caliber .45 pistol, a caliber .38 revolver, rifle grenade, and paraphernalia.

Brigadier General Facundo Palafox IV, 2nd Mechanized Infantry

Brigade commander, said the arrest of the two leaders is a big blow to the NPAs of the North-Central Mindanao Regional Committee since they hold high positions in their organization.

Palafox said Cañete is a commander of one of the guerrilla front companies, while Virtuzado is in charge of the recruitment and brainwashing of their recruits in the areas of Iligan, Bukidnon, and Misamis Oriental.

Meanwhile, the troops have seized a firearms cache of the NPA around 11:30 a.m. Sunday in San Isidro Village, Kapatagan, Lanao del Norte.

The recovered arms cache contains seven M-16 armalite rifles, one AR18 rifle, one M-203 grenade launcher, one caliber .38 revolver, 29 pairs. of bandoliers, 286 magazines for M-16 rifle, and 2,000 rounds of ammunition.

Orengo said they discovered the arms cache based on the revelation of the two arrested NPA leaders during the custodial debriefing.