A CIDG operative serves the arrest warrant against an alleged ranking officer of the CPP-NPA in Mindanao during an operation in Cagayan de Oro City on June 5, 2025. (photo: CIDG)

A ranking officer of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) with multiple arrest warrants was arrested in a raid on his alleged lair in Cagayan de Oro City, the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) said on Sunday, June 8.

CIDG officer-in-charge Col. Ranie P. Hachuela said the 50-year old arrested communist rebel leader is the current secretary of Far South Mindanao Region (FSMR) of the CPP-NPA and is listed in the military’s Periodical Status Report (PSR) 2nd Quarter of 2025.

Hachuela said the operation was carried out on Thursday, June 5, over confirmed intelligence reports of the presence of the suspect in Barangay Indahag, Cagayan de Oro City.

He said his men confiscated a fragmentation grenade, a .45 pistol, one steel magazine, rounds of ammunition, two blasting caps, one detonating cord, and three identification cards.

The arrested communist rebel leader is listed as number 5 Regional Most Wanted Person of Police Region Office 12 for violation of Republic Act 11479 (The Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020) and Murder; and Number 5 Regional Most Wanted Person of Police Region Office 11 for Murder.

The arrest warrants issued against him were from various local courts in Mindanao.

Government security officials said the CPP-NPA is already losing ground following the death of its top leaders over the years, including CPP founder Joma Sison and couple Benito and Wilma Tiamzon, all of whom are well-respected in the communist movement.

Sison died while in self-exile in the Netherlands in December 2022 while the Tiamzon couple were killed in a military operation in Samar in August 2022.

On Saturday, June 7, the CPP announced the death of Luis “Ka Louie” Jalandoni, a former National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) chief negotiator.

Source: Manila Bulletin.