2 NPA leaders fall

BUTUAN CITY — Intelligence operatives in Caraga Region arrested on Saturday night two ranking officials of the New People’s Army (NPA) in the Caraga region, military and police officials reported yesterday.

Caraga police director, Chief Superintendent Alberto Olario identified the arrested NPA leaders as Dionisio Micabalo, alias Kumander Cardo or Bawang, secretary of the executive committee of the NPA Front Committee 88 operating in Agusan del Sur.

Also arrested was Micabalo’s wife Lorna Songahid, alias Ka Sarah, who is supposedly the finance officer of the Front Committee 4A based in Agusan del Norte.

Micabalo was arrested at the residence of a certain Daniel Ruaya II at 941-E Radaza Compound in Barangay Buhangin here.

Confiscated from Micabalo were subversive documents, an ACES satellite phone with antenna, mobile phones, ACER laptop personal computer, HP portable printer, caliber-.45 pistol with one magazine and 13 live ammunitions, AC/DC power converters, micro-cassette tapes and cash amounting to P10,839.00.

According to Olario, Micabalo is facing multiple homicide and murder charges before the sala of Tenth Regional Trial Court Judge Ermilindo Andal of Branch 6 in Prosperidad, Agusan del Sur, who issued an arrest order on April 16.

Micabalo is also facing multiple homicide and robbery charges under Presiding Judge Alfredo Jalad of the Municipal Trial Court of Prosperidad, Agusan del Sur, who also issued a warrant of arrest against Micabalo.

Judge Elisio Campos of MCTC Esperanza, Agusan del Sur also issued similar warrants of arrest against Micabalo for robbery.

Olario said, the arrest of Micabalo, considered to be one of the top men the CPP-NPA hierarchy in Agusan del Sur and surrounding provinces, is a major setback to the communist insurgency in Mindanao.

Olario lauded the Army’s 401st Brigade, 36th IB and the Military Intelligence Group (MIG) and the PNP Regional Intelligence Group for a job well done.

The arrest of Micabalo and his wife was effected through a tip from an NPA informant, said Brig. Gen. Ernesto Boac, commander of the 401st Army Brigade based in Bancasi, Butuan City.

Boac said Kardo and Sarah did not resist arrest when presented with the warrants of arrest. — With Bong Fabe