Alleged NPA leader nabbed in Olongapo
abs-cbnNEWS.com | 11/27/2008 12:14 AM
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CAMP OLIVAS, Pampanga - A suspected top-ranking communist rebel leader facing 15 counts of murder case in a Southern Leyte court was captured by government agents during raid at his supposed safehouse in Barangay Banicain, Olongapo City Wednesday.
Senior Superintendent Marvin Bolabola, regional chief of the 3rd Criminal Investigation and Detection Unit (3rd CIDU), identified the alleged rebel as Oscar Belleza, 51, alias MG, a native of Southern Leyte.
Belleza, according to Bolabola did not resist when pounced by elements of the Zambales Criminal Investigation and Detection Team and Military Intelligence Group (MIG) from Eastern Visayas.
He said Belleza was captured on the strength of a warrant of arrest issued by Judge Ephraim Abando of Southern Leyte Regional Trial Court for multiple counts of murder.
Also included in the warrant were alleged top personalities of the Communist Party of the Philippines and New People’s Army (NPA) including Jose Maria Sison.
There was no information however if there were plans by communist rebels to launch a sabotage operation at the Subic Bay Freeport, which is considered high risk to communist attack among government vital installations in Central Luzon.
"The captured rebel leader is undergoing tactical interrogation at the Zambales Criminal Investigation and Detection Team (ZCIDT)," said Bolabola as he vowed to immediately inform members of media of any high-value information that would be gained from the arrest.
He said the presence of Belleza in Olongapo City is suspicious considering that the city is home to the country's vital installations such as Subic and the newly-constructed Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway.
Belleza is allegedly also the team leader of the Propaganda Organizing Team (POT) operation in different Eastern Visayas areas including La Paz, Mcarthur, Burauen, Inopacan, and Baybay, all of Leyte province.
The suspected rebel was unarmed when captured by government agents, said Bolabola. -Jess Malabanan
