Top NPA leader arrested

A top New People’s Army commander operating in Misamis Oriental was arrested in a combined intelligence sting in Bukidnon, the Philipine Army said yesterday.

Lt. Col. Ernesto Torres, Army spokesman said the arrest of Vicente Libona alias Ka Reden and Ka Rebel left the NPA in Misamis Oriental leaderless.

Libona was cornered by combined Army and police intelligence agents during his discreet visit at Barangay Palacapao, Quezon, Bukidnon on Tuesday.

Torres said Libona is facing various charges, including two counts of murder, two cases of robberies with homicide and a case of frustrated murder filed before the Gingoong City and Bukidnon courts.

“He has five pending warrants for his arrest,” Torres said.

Libona is the incumbent CPP-NPA 4B front secretary whose area of operations cover the entire province of Misamis Oriental to include four municipalities in the northern part of Bukidnon.

The top NPA leader was turned over to the Northern Mindanao Philippine National Police Criminal In­vestigation Division (PNP-CIDG) where he is presently detained.

In an apparent retaliation over Libona’s arrest, some 50 NPA insurgents attacked a mining firm in Compostela Valley on Friday.

The rebels torched mining equipment and took off with the issued firearms of the security guards.