CAMP CAPINPIN, Tanay, Rizal — The highest-ranking leader of the Southern Tagalog Regional Party Committee (STRPC), who is also the top leadership of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF), was arrested this morning by the combined troops of the Joint Task Force Katagalugan (JTFK) and the Philippine National Police in Quezon City.
The terrorist leader is identified as Wigberto Villarico who is covering in the aliases of Benjamin Mendoza, Juventud Del Fiero, Alejandro Montalban, Laurence, Joven, Mark, Cris, Baylon, and Baler; currently the secretary of the STRPC, and a member of the Political Bureau (PolitBuro) of the CPP-NPA-NDF.
He was arrested in Brgy Fairview under the arrest warrant with criminal cases # 11-3248 and 11-3249 issued by Judge Rodolfo Obnamia Jr, of the Regional Trial Court (RTC) 4th Judicial Region, Branch 64, in Mauban, Quezon for kidnapping with murder.
The arrest of Villarico highlights the government's success against the communist terrorist organization in Region 4 and the eventual downfall of the STRPC.
Villarico has been violating human rights, international humanitarian law, and various laws of the land as he was responsible for the series of atrocities against government forces, the killing and liquidation of some prominent personalities, terrorist attacks on innocent communities, sabotaging government projects, and various extortion and money-making activities in Southern Tagalog.
The JTFK has long been suspecting that Villarico is not staying in Mindoro or the Region 4 area but at the higher level, manning the operations of the whole communist terrorist organization.
The arrest of Villarico would create a vacuum in the CPP’s organizational and ideological leadership, leaving the underground movement without a sense of strategic and operational directions and a reason for its existence.
The 2ID's successes over the past months are being traced to be leading to eventual fall of Villarico into the hands of the authorities.
It can be recalled that some known terrorist leaders and their members were captured, surrendered, or neutralized in various inter-agency operations; armed caches and safe houses containing high-powered firearms, numerous ammunitions, explosive and bomb components, and subversive documents were discovered; successful encounter against armed group leaving their terrorist dead; and the continued declaration of various towns, cities, and provinces to be stable internal peace and security (SIPS) due to the people's support.
According to Brigadier General Cerilo Balaoro, Jr, commander of the JTFK, these feats are not just the success of the people in Southern Tagalog who have been calling for the eventual or total downfall of the communist insurgency in the region, but the success of every Filipino.
“With the arrest of Villarico, the CPP's sectoral front organizations and the affiliated mass organizations are expected to stage massive propaganda ploys in an attempt to deceive the public and malign the government and the Philippine Army,” adds Brigadier General Balaoro.
“Despite this, we commit to relentlessly pursue the remnants of the CPP-NPA-NDF operating in the region who sow terror in the peace-loving communities,” vows Brigadier General Balaoro.
The 2ID continuously calls on the remaining members of the NPA and other insurgent allies to abandon the violence, reunite with mainstream society, and contribute to the government's development programs for the region and the whole country.
Villarico is currently in the custody of the PNP’s Southern Police District facing multiple counts of criminal charges such as extortion, recruiting minors and students to be combatant, violation of anti-terrorism law, and rebellion, aside from kidnapping with murder.