Suspected NPA leader, four others nabbed in Leyte —military

A suspected high-ranking New People's Army (NPA) leader was arrested for illegal possession of weapons during a joint police and military operations in Tacloban City, Leyte early Friday morning.

The 8th Infantry Division identified the arrested rebel leader as Frenchie Mae Castro Cumpio, allegedly the secretary of the Regional White Area Committee - Eastern Visayas Regional Party Committee (RWAC-EVRPC).

It added that four other communist rebels were also nabbed in the operation. They were not identified by the military.

The military said simultaneous implementation of search warrants were conducted by security forces in two identified safe houses in Tacloban City.

The warrants, issued by Tacloban City's Regional Trial Court Branch 44 executive judge Eligio Petilla on February 3, were for alleged violation of Republic Act No. 10591 or “An Act Providing for a Comprehensive Law on Firearms and Ammunition."

According to the military, the searched houses are located in Gumamela Street, Bañezville II, Fatima Village, Barangay 77 while the other one is in Calanipawan Street in Barangay 96.

These houses were allegedly being used by the communist rebels  as their safe houses.

The arrested personalities and the seized illegal items were placed in the custody of Philippine National Police Regional Office in Tacloban City for documentation and proper disposition.  —KBK, GMA News