A top regional head of the Communist Party of the Philippines and two of his colleagues were killed after they traded gunfire joint military and police teams out to serve warrant for their arrest in Baguio City early dawn Friday.
AFP officials identified the slain CPP’s top terrorists as Julius Soriano Giron, chairman of the CPP and member of the CPP-NPA Executive Committee and companions Lourdes Tan Torres, Executive Committee member of the National Health Bureau of the CPP and a still unidentified male believed to be a member of the National Military Commission.
“The death of Giron will further rattle the communist terror group and its dwindling force for losing its strategic leader. Giron is much closer and more relevant in NPA operations than the absentee Jose Maria Sison, and is thus more influential to their ranks,” said AFP Chief of Staff General Felimon Santos Jr.
A joint military and police intelligence teams were about to serve an arrest warrant against Giron at his hideout at Lourdes Subdivision Extension, Barangay Queen of Peace in Bagiuo City at around 3 a.m. Friday.
Reports said Giron and his two companions resisted arrest and fired at the authorities, which prompted the arresting team to retaliate that resulted to the death of the suspects.
Recovered from the suspects’ possession were one M1 rifle, a Colt cal.45 pistol and Cal. 4 Rock Island pistol, three hand grenades and a single magazine for M16 rifle.
“We commend our troops for the successful neutralization of this notorious NPA leader, landing a serious blow against the CTG, and bringing us closer to our goal of ending the local communist armed conflict in the country,” Santos said.
Meanwhile, Philippine Army Chief Lt. Gen. Gilbert Gapay said Giron has been involved in numerous atrocities resulting in the deaths of military personnel and innocent civilians; loss of economic assets due to the burning of equipment; and the displacement of thousands of people.
“The rebels’ efforts to gain political power through their armed struggle only resulted in violence. This will never be the solution for our society,” said Gapay. “With Giron’s death, justice is served. But we must not cease. We must not stop in uniting against such tyranny, which for so many years, have deprived the Filipino people the peaceful lives they deserve,” Gapay said.