Rebels in kidnap-slay of priest nabbed

CABANATUAN CITY — Four communist New People’s Army (NPA) rebels, including two amazons who were believed behind the May 2001 kidnap-slay of Aglipayan priest Dakila Lopez were captured on Saturday by Army troopers in a raid in their safehouse in Barangay Bonifacio, Cuyapo, Nueva Ecija.

Col. Jovenal Narcise, commander of the Army’s 702nd Infantry Brigade based in Bongabon town, identified the suspects as Analyn Flores alias "Ka Allyn," Cecil Anastacio alias "Ka Ecil or "Rea," Christopher Arquines alias "Ka Argy" or "Jerry," and Alvaro Luciano alias "Ka Baldo" or "Bojo."

Narcise said the four rebels belonged to the armed propaganda units of the NPA’s Nueva Ecija provincial committee’s Front 3 — codenamed "Delta" operating in the municipalities of Cuyapo and Guimba and are listed in the military’s Order of Battle. Arquines and Luciano are the unit’s political and propaganda officers, respectively.

The raid on the rebels’ safehouse was staged by government troops after they were tipped off by an informant. — Manny Galvez