(AA) – A high-ranking communist insurgent leader in the Philippines has been killed alongside three other rebels in southern Davao City in the latest blow to the New People’s Army (NPA), according to the military.
MindaNews cited a military press statement as saying late Sunday that a 20-minute firefight left Leoncio Pitao — alias Kumander Parago Sandoval, 57 – and an unidentified female rebel, believed to be a medic for Parago’s group, dead in Panalum village.
According to the 10th Infantry Division’s report, two additional NPA members were also killed after troops pursued rebels from the group in the same village.
It quoted Major General Eduardo Ano, 10th Infantry Agila Division commander, as saying that information from locals had “started pouring in which allowed us to track down enemy movement and activities particularly that of the group of Parago.”
“Apparently, the people are tired of CPP-NPA [Communist Party of the Philippines] banditry and terrorism,” Ano added.
The report said that following the death of Parago, the NPA in southernmost Mindanao island “is expected to be further plunged in a serious leadership crisis following the neutralization of other top NPA leaders early this year.”
Parago had several standing arrest warrants for murder, robbery and multiple frustrated murder since joining the NPA in the 1980s.
Despite being arrested in late 1999, he was released in 2001 in an attempt to build confidence and goodwill for re-launching peace negotiations between the government and the insurgency.
The latest complaint against him was filed two weeks ago for murder and frustrated murder, after a clash with the NPA left four soldiers dead and eight others injured in Davao City’s Calinan district on May 6.
The report said three members of his security team were killed by government troops two weeks ago.
Parago had been reported killed several times prior to Sunday’s clash.
Earlier this month, the military had arrested Adelberto Silva, believed to be the secretary general of the CPP-NPA, on murder, frustrated murder and attempted murder charges in Cavite province. His wife Sharon Ronquillo Cabusao and follower Isidro de Lima, both alleged NPA rebels, were also captured in the operation.
The NPA, the CPP’s armed wing, has been waging an insurgency since 1969 that has left tens of thousands of people dead.
It reportedly has around 4,000 members in 69 of the country’s 81 provinces.
Philippine authorities have tagged the rebels as notorious extortionists and blamed them for harassing banana, pineapple and rubber plantations, as well as poultry farms and mining outfits.
Peace talks between the NPA and the government collapsed in early 2013 due to rebel demands that detained comrades be freed. The government of President Benigno Aquino III, however, said earlier this month that it is open to resuming negotiations the insurgency.
