Authorities recovered high powered firearms and arrested several alleged communist leaders in a law enforcement operation in Rizal province on Tuesday morning.

Capt. Patrick Jay Retumban, spokesman of the Army's 2nd Infantry Division, said the operation was conducted at Coral Farm, believed to be a safe house of top NPA leaders, at Sitio Dalig Teresa, Rizal around 7:30 am.

Retumban said among recovered firearms were four M653 (baby armalite) rifles, one M203 grenade launcher, five US made 12-gauge shotguns, one caliber .45 pistol, one caliber .38 revolver, one 9mm KG3 machine pistol.

He said other items, including six two-way radios, two grenades, eight cellphones, enemy documents and numerous war materiel as well as weapon system accessories were recovered by joint elements of Philippine Army’s 80th Infantry Battalion and the National Bureau of Investigation.

The military expressed belief that the operation pre-empted a destabilization plot of the communist group.

“The presence of top NPA leaders and the proximity of Teresa town to Manila are indicators that the threat of “Red October” cannot be downplayed and that the plotters are just awaiting for an opportunity to execute their plans”, said Brigadier General Arnulfo Marcelo Burgos Jr, commander of the 202nd Infantry (Unifier) Brigade which has operational jurisdiction over the area of operation.

“We will remain proactive in addressing any form of threats within our jurisdiction since our primary mandate is to be the vanguards of the national government’s southern frontier,” he added.

Retumban said the items were recovered during the serving of a search warrant “which was issued after months of intelligence operations against Armando Lazarte alias Pat/Romano, secretary of the NPA’s sub-regional military area 4A, and Tirso Alcantara alias Bart, the former commander of the NPA Terrorists’ Regional Yunit Guerilla.”

He said Lt. Co. Melencio Ragudo, commander of the Army’s 80th Infantry Battalion, said “the owner of the 6-hectare farm, Ki Be E alias Lily Ong, was among the eight personalities apprehended by the government forces.”

“One of the apprehended personalities revealed to authorities that two of the M653s belong to alias Bart while the other two, including the grenades, were owned by alias Pat/Romano. The person also confirmed that the two NPA leaders were regular visitors of Coral Farm,” he said. Robina Asido/DMS

Authorities recovered high powered firearms and arrested several alleged communist leaders in a law enforcement operation in Rizal province on Tuesday morning.

Capt. Patrick Jay Retumban, spokesman of the Army's 2nd Infantry Division, said the operation was conducted at Coral Farm, believed to be a safe house of top NPA leaders, at Sitio Dalig Teresa, Rizal around 7:30 am.

Retumban said among recovered firearms were four M653 (baby armalite) rifles, one M203 grenade launcher, five US made 12-gauge shotguns, one caliber .45 pistol, one caliber .38 revolver, one 9mm KG3 machine pistol.

He said other items, including six two-way radios, two grenades, eight cellphones, enemy documents and numerous war materiel as well as weapon system accessories were recovered by joint elements of Philippine Army’s 80th Infantry Battalion and the National Bureau of Investigation.

The military expressed belief that the operation pre-empted a destabilization plot of the communist group.

“The presence of top NPA leaders and the proximity of Teresa town to Manila are indicators that the threat of “Red October” cannot be downplayed and that the plotters are just awaiting for an opportunity to execute their plans”, said Brigadier General Arnulfo Marcelo Burgos Jr, commander of the 202nd Infantry (Unifier) Brigade which has operational jurisdiction over the area of operation.

“We will remain proactive in addressing any form of threats within our jurisdiction since our primary mandate is to be the vanguards of the national government’s southern frontier,” he added.

Retumban said the items were recovered during the serving of a search warrant “which was issued after months of intelligence operations against Armando Lazarte alias Pat/Romano, secretary of the NPA’s sub-regional military area 4A, and Tirso Alcantara alias Bart, the former commander of the NPA Terrorists’ Regional Yunit Guerilla.”

He said Lt. Co. Melencio Ragudo, commander of the Army’s 80th Infantry Battalion, said “the owner of the 6-hectare farm, Ki Be E alias Lily Ong, was among the eight personalities apprehended by the government forces.”

“One of the apprehended personalities revealed to authorities that two of the M653s belong to alias Bart while the other two, including the grenades, were owned by alias Pat/Romano. The person also confirmed that the two NPA leaders were regular visitors of Coral Farm,” he said. Robina Asido/DMS