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High ranking NPA terrorist arrested
Regional News High ranking NPA terrorist arrested
BUTUAN CITY - Joint government forces of Police Regional Office (PRO) 13 and Philippine Army arrested a high ranking official of New People’s Army (NPA) who has ten standing warrants of arrest during an enhanced police-military checkpoint operation conducted along the national highway of Sitio Tagmalinao, Brgy. La Purisima, Cagwait, Surigao del Sur on February 15.
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Police Brigadier General Joselito T. Esquivel, Jr, Philippine National Police (PNP)-Caraga regional director, identified the suspect as Renan Ayad Cantos, also known as Loki/Ronin/Sanjo, male, 30 years old, and a resident of Purok Pagbahanan 2, Brgy. Poblacion, Marihatag, Surigao del Sur.
Cantos is a former commanding officer of dismantled Guerilla Front 8, dismantled Guerilla Front 14 of the
Regional News communist terrorist group (CTG) under North Eastern Mindanao Regional Committee (NEMRC).
Cantos was charged with multiple attempted homicide under Criminal Case No. 10091, frustrated murder under Criminal Case No. 10171, multiple attempted murder under Criminal Case No. 9870, multiple attempted murder under Criminal Case No. 4574, murder under Criminal Case No. 4575, kidnapping and serious illegal detention under Criminal Case No. 4611, robbery with violence and intimidation of person under Criminal Case No. 6526, kidnapping and serious illegal detention under Criminal Case No. 6527, kidnapping and serious illegal detention under Criminal Case No. 6525, and arson under Criminal Case No. 3279.
Arrested person was duly informed of his constitutional rights and was brought to Cagwait Municipal Police Station for documentation and proper disposition.
“The operation that led to his arrest is part of our aggressive and more intensified campaign against insurgency and wanted persons. I am encouraging all our brothers and sisters who are deceived by the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) – New People’s Army (NPA) terrorists to surrender and return to the folds of the law,” Esquivel said.
Esquivel also reminded all private individual to include politicians and local chief executives on the prohibitions of Republic Act 10168, otherwise known as the “Terrorism Financing Prevention and Suppression Act of 2012 and Section 3 of Executive Order No. 773 series of 2009, directing regional, provincial, municipal peace and order councils to apply moral suasion to and/ or recommend sanctions against local chief executives who are giving material and political support to criminals and Communist Terrorist Groups.
These legal provisions are further reinforced by the pronouncement of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte that the local chief executives should not give ‘any aid’ to rebel, terrorist, and criminal groups as it would result to much distress, embarrassment, even losing power over the police.
“The government is offering its support through an Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-CLIP) which provides several benefits like financial assistance and livelihood program to former rebels and militiamen who surrendered to the government,” Esquivel said. (PNP PRO13/PIA-Caraga)
