Top rebel leader in Bulacan nabbed

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO --- Combined Intelligence elements of the Philippine Army’s 703 Infantry (Agila) Brigade and Philippine National Police arrest on the afternoon of October 9 one of the topmost ranking executive committee member of Central Luzon Regional Committee (CLRC) of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA).
Danilo Jose N. Castaneda, with alleged aliases “Baste,” “Delfin De Guzman” and “Efren Montana Dela Lamon”, also the purporter secretary of Sangay sa Partido sa Platoon Bulacan (SPP Bulacan) was apprehended after a tip from concerned civilians.
Castaneda was reportedly using different safe houses and private vehicles, making it hard for intelligence agents to follow his movement.
The alleged rebel’s arrest materialized when he made a visit to his live-in partner at Barangay Anupul in Bamban, Tarlac where intelligence agents had been monitoring him for months. The arrest was made by virtue of two warrants for different murder cases. Recovered from his possession are a fragmentation grenade, blue belt bag and his personal belongings.
In his capacity as a member of Regional Committee and being the number three man of the CPP-NPA hierarchy in Central Luzon, Castaneda was reported to have supervision over SPP Pampanga, SPP South Zambales and SPP Bataan.
He is an icon of the underground movement and his arrest will bring more demoralization on the already dwindling rank and file of the CPP-NPA in Central Luzon, the Philippine Army said.
Colonel Jose Z. Mabanta Jr, 703 Infantry Brigade commander, commended all the troops involved in the successful arrest as he cited the growing awareness of the community against insurgency.
“This person has been elusive for so many years but the long arms of the law finally caught up with him. With the trend we are following right now we are very much optimistic that we can render this group insignificant by yearend of 2010,” Mabanta said.
The same troops under Mabanta are also instrumental in the arrest of Jose Jackson Labrador Carmen alias “Roman”, secretary of Sangay sa Partido sa Platoon Pampanga (SPP Pampanga) last March of this year.