Top NPA commander nabbed in Cagayan

CAGAYAN, Philippines (UPDATED) – A police and military team arrested a top commander of the New People’s Army in this province late Thursday afternoon, May 4.

David “Ka Colly”  Soriano, described as the “highest ranking official” of the NPA in the region, was cornered in Barangay Camasi in Peñablanca town around 5:45 pm, said Police Chief Superintendent Eliseo Rasco, police regional director.

The arrest was made by Cagayan Valley police and the 5th Infantry Division of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).

Also arrested was Soriano’s driver, Jude Cipriano.

Recovered from their possession were one Glock pistol, a 9mm pistol, P100,000.00 cash, $1,888.00 cash, 11 units of cellphones, one rifle grenade, and one wallet containing several identification cards and subversive documents.

Police and military intelligence revealed that Soriano is the regional secretary of Komiteng Rehiyon ng Hilagang Silangan ng Luzon of the Communist Party of the Philippines/New People’s Army/National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF) Northern Front.

Soriano tops the list of most wanted people in the region for his involvement in several high-profile crimes, police said.

He was one of the suspected masterminds of the attack on policemen in Baggao town in February 2016, which killed at least 6.

Rasco also said Soriano was the principal suspect in the killing Gonzaga town mayor Carlito Pentecostes Jr in 2014. He was caught in a close-circuit television camera (CCTV) as among the rebels who gunned down Pentecostes.

Soriano is detained athe  Cagayan Police Provincial Office in Tuguegarao.

Meanwhile, in an “apparent diversionary move” by the NPA, Rasco said around 30 suspected rebels attacked a police sub-station in nearby Amulung town, also in Cagayan, almost simultaneously with the arrest of Soriano.

Rasco said the armed men took away 4 M16 rifles and two 9mm pistols. The rebels also burned the police Mahindra patrol vehicle before escaping.

Police personnel were also reportedly “tortured.”

Rasco said he ordered local police units to be vigilant of attacks. – Rappler.com