Quezon cops arrest suspected NPA leaders

CAMP VICENTE LIM, Laguna, Philippines  – Quezon police and military forces arrested in Sariaya town Saturday two suspected ranking officials of the New People’s Army including a political prisoner who escaped in a daring attack on the provincial jail in 2008, authorities said yesterday.

Chief Superintendent Nicanor Bartolome, Calabarzon police director, identified those arrested as Gemma Carag, alias Morgan Sierra; Zedy, a secretary of the Kilusang Larangan Guerilla (KLG), and Southern Taga-log-Regional Party Committee head Vergie Baao alias Ka Aira, a leader of Sangay sa Platoon and Hagibis. They were collared in Barangay Pili, Sariaya, at around 2 p.m. Saturday.

Bartolome said Carag was among the seven NPA rebels who were freed by their comrades, disguised as government anti-narcotics agents. They were able to infiltrate the provincial jail on Oct. 25, 2008.

Bartolome said aside from Carag, the other six rebels identified as Cecilia Mondia, Noel Santos, Gerson Carabido, Rogelio Monteverda, Arnold Valencia, and Fernando Tawagon were all freed by the rebels.