‘NPA leader’ killed, 3 others arrested

CEBU, Philippines —  An alleged high-ranking official of the New People's Army (NPA) was killed after shooting it out with police and military operatives serving at least five arrest warrants against him Sunday evening in Barangay Pung-ol-Sibugay, Cebu City.

Authorities identified the fatality as Denis Paradero Rodinas, one of the most wanted NPA leaders in Mindanao. He was tagged as mastermind in major NPA attacks in Mindanao, including the brutal killing of Mayor Dario Otaza of Loreto town in Agusan del Sur and his son Daryl in Butuan City.

Rodinas have pending warrants of arrest for murder, multiple murder, illegal possession of explosives and theft. Police Regional Office-7 director Brigadier General Albert Ignatius Ferro said the joint police and military operatives were out to serve the arrest warrants Sunday evening when Rodinas allegedly fired upon them resulting in a shootout that killed him.

His live-in partner, Gerlie Mercado alias Tamsi/Sol, an alleged top official of the Southern Mindanao Regional Party Committee of the NPA, and two others were also arrested.

Brian Moralde and Rodelyn Uwit Moralde reportedly acted violently prompting the police to arrest them for violation of Presidential Decree 1892 or obstruction of justice.

Rodinas reportedly joined the communist movement under the Western Mindanao Regional Committee (WMRC) in 1998. He led a section command responsible for several explosions and other attacks in Region 11.

Ferro said the successful operation was a product of the information provided by the community.

"The community are now really helping us through tips,” Ferro said.

Authorities got wind of Rodinas’ presence in Barangay Pung-ol-Sibugay after he built a two-storey house on a government lot without securing a building permit.

Army Colonel Jerry Borja, Commander of Task Force, Cebu, Bohol, and Siquijor (TF-CBS), said Rodinas and his companions arrived in the city not for long. He said several members of the NPA are already in Central Visayas.

Borja warned the communist rebels that Central Visayas is not a safe place for them. In fact, several of them were already arrested in Bohol.

"Actually in Central (Visayas), ubay-ubay na, there were already a lot of Communist Terrorists Group (TGC) that were arrested didto sa Bohol....ang ako lang masulti, Central Visayas is not safe for the CTG," Borja said.

He said that NPA members are hiding in Cebu City while trying to regroup because the island is 'very peculiar'. — FPL (FREEMAN)