Combined forces of the Philippine Army’s Joint Task Force Katagalugan (JTFK) and Philippine National Police (PNP) on Thursday arrested top red leader Wigberto Villarico in Quezon City.
Villarico uses several aliases and was the highest-ranking leader of the Southern Tagalog Regional Party Committee (STRPC). He is also the top leader of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF).
He is also currently the secretary of the STRPC and a member of the Political Bureau (PolitBuro) of the CPP-NPA-NDF.
2nd Infantry Division Spokesperson Lieutenant Commander Jeff Molina said Villorico was arrested in Brgy. Fairview by virtue of the arrest warrant with criminal cases # 11-3248 and 11-3249 issued by Judge Rodolfo Obnamia Jr, of the Regional Trial Court (RTC) 4th Judicial Region, Branch 64, in Mauban, Quezon for kidnapping with murder.
“The arrest of Villarico highlights the government’s success against the communist terrorist organization in Region 4 and the eventual downfall of the STRPC,” he said.
Authorities said Villarico has been violating human rights, international humanitarian law, and various laws of the land as he was responsible for the series of atrocities against government forces, the killing and liquidation of some prominent personalities, terrorist attacks on innocent communities, sabotaging government projects, and various extortion and money-making activities in Southern Tagalog.
