A ranking official of the Communist Party of the Philippines in Mindanao was captured by security forces in Zamboanga City on Thursday.
Initial reports said authorities have arrested Roberto Rossette Jr., secretary of the Southern Mindanao Regional Command and Central Committee member in Barangay La Paz in Zamboanga City at about 4 p.m.
Reports said that Rossette Jr. was apprehended a few hours after he evaded arrest from authorities who tried to serve an arrest warrant at his house in Sitio Dragon, Barangay Upper La Paz.
Prior to Rossette’s arrest, reports said intelligence operatives conducted a monitoring of the suspect’s whereabouts at the said house.
While on a stakeout operation, authorities spotted Rossette together with his wife and two unidentified male personalities who had just left their home aboard two single motorcycles.
Upon seeing him, authorities initiated to serve the arrest warrant against Rossette Jr., but the suspect quickly alighted from the motorcycle and ran towards a bushy area.
The police chased the suspect and was later cornered Rossete Jr.
The suspect is presently undergoing interrogation, although sources said that there were no reports as to Rossette’s criminal offenses that warranted his arrest.
Meanwhile, military authorities in the Island province of Panay on Friday accused the CPP-NPA for twisting the truth on the neutralization of an extortion group the other day in Antique.
Major Gen. Dino Dolina, commander of the Army’s 3rd Infantry Division, slammed Ka Julio Montana, spokesman of the Coronation Chiva “Waling-Waling” Command for spreading lies about the nature of the CPP-NPA extortion activities in Panay.
“We all know who is telling the truth. Ka Julio and comrades are known for fabricating lies especially in situations like this. His mouth is a fountain of lies. No wonder nothing goes out from it but deceit,” Dolina said.
Dolina was infuriated after the CPP-NPA in Panay accused the military of executing suspected NPA members in law enforcement operations in San Jose Antique.