Just days after the arrest of the alleged highest-ranking leader of the Southern Tagalog Regional Party Committee (STRPC), two more alleged high-ranking National People's Army (NPA) leaders were arrested.

Law enforcement agents from the Philippine Army's 2nd Infantry Division (2ID) and the Southern Police District (SPD) arrested the two alleged top NPA leaders during a coordinated operation in Barangay Valenzuela, Makati City, on October 27, 2024.

The arrest came just four days after the capture of Wigberto Villarico, who was allegedly in the top leadership of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF).

The first person arrested was Gavino Panganiban who allegedly came by multiple aliases including Nori, Momoy, and Teddy.

He was taken into custody by virtue of warrants for serious charges, including murder and attempted murder, handled by the Regional Trial Court (RTC) branches in Infanta, Quezon, and Gumaca, Quezon.

Marites David, known as Teacher Lally, was the second alleged leader arrested.

She is facing charges for allegedly violating the Comprehensive Law on Firearms and Ammunition, with her arrest warrant issued by a judge in Sta. Rosa City, Laguna.

The 2ID expects the arrests to intensify the pressure on the NPA, and contribute to the declining morale within their group.

"Their arrest will eventually add to the deteriorating morale in the ranks of the communist terrorist group due to the successive arrest, capture, surrender, and death of their members and leadership these past months," the 2ID announced.

Both Panganiban and David are now in the custody of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG), where they will undergo documentation and legal processing.