MANILA, Philippines — Five alleged communist rebels, including a peace talks consultant, believed to be involved in the plot to oust President Duterte were arrested at an Army checkpoint in Sta. Cruz, Laguna last Monday afternoon, the military reported yesterday.
Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief Gen. Carlito Galvez claimed that the arrest of Adelberto Silva, freed peace talks consultant and current head of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) National Organizing Department (NOD), has disrupted the communist’s mobilization and recruitment activities.
“They want to oust, their sinister objective is to overthrow the government. So we are trying to continue to insulate the vulnerable sectors from them,” said Galvez at a Joint Peace and Security Coordinating Committee (JPSCC) meeting with Philippine National Police (PNP) officials.
The military said Silva and his companions – Edicel Legaspi alias Joventud del Fierro and the secretary of the CPP’s Southern Tagalog Regional Party Committee; a certain Oyong, certain Wena and certain Batu, all NOD staff members – were on board a Suzuki Swift car when they were intercepted at an Army checkpoint along Sta. Cruz highway, Barangay Pagsawitan in Laguna at around 1:30 p.m. the other day.
Maj. Gen. Rhoderick Parayno, commander of the Tanay-based Army 2nd Infantry Division, said troopers from the 1st Infantry Battalion of the 202nd Infantry Brigade under Brig. Gen. Arnulfo Marcelo Burgos intercepted the CPP members while they were on their way to Pagsanjan, Laguna.
Burgos said the arresting team recovered from the suspects’ vehicle two caliber .45 pistols, four hand grenades, one claymore type improvised explosive device (IED), loaded gun magazines and rebel documents.
“The search of the vehicle was witnessed by barangay officials,” said Lt. Col. Jonathan Manio, commander of the 1st Infantry Battalion.
Manio said the rebels were turned over to the PNP-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group-National Capital Region (PNP-CIDG-NCR) for the filing of appropriate charges.
Brig. Gen. Edgard Arevalo, AFP spokesman, said that while Red October has fizzled out, the communists’ ouster plot against the President is continuing.
The military described Red October as a plot hatched by the CPP-New People’s Army with the support of various anti-government and political groups.
After Red October, Arevalo said the communist leadership is once again planning to unleash their ouster plot against President Duterte on Dec. 26, in time for the CPP’s golden anniversary celebration.
At the joint AFP-PNP press briefing at Camp Crame in Quezon City, Galvez claimed that they have dissolved the supposed “Red October” ouster plot against President Duterte.
“Yung isa sa batayan na nalusaw, this is an indication of the ongoing awareness with the different people and the public. The people now, including the parents, are aware of this sinister act. And through this awareness, we were able to deter any violent mobilization,” Galvez said.
“Kung makikita natin, ang target nila since Sept. 21 is to have a critical mass. But because of the positive response of our students and other agencies, including parents, teachers, we were able to dissuade them,” he said.
The PNP and the AFP held a Joint Peace and Security Coordinating Committee meeting at Camp Crame in preparation for the May 2019 elections and internal security, anti-criminality and counterterrorism efforts.
PNP chief Director General Oscar Albayalde assured the people that appropriate security measures are in place to maintain peace and order and secure protest actions set on Oct. 17.
Albayalde described as “not that serious” the threat being posed by the Red October plot as far as the PNP is concerned.
He clarified that President Duterte has “unlimited” source of information, which he personally does not have access to.
“I think there is a basis for the statement of the President. Remember the President has unlimited access to information, not just the PNP. There is a reason for this… probably not even the intelligence community,” he added.
Duterte claimed the opposition groups are plotting to oust him. Earlier, the AFP claimed that communist rebels are expanding their network to launch Red October.
The military also linked the supposed ouster plot to a raid on a farm in Rizal where several firearms were confiscated.
Presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo said communist rebels have been planning to overthrow the government for decades.
“I won’t be surprised if there is such plot because that is precisely the rationale of the creation of the Communist Party of the Philippines to oust the present government,” Panelo said.
“So it would be unusual if they do not plot an ouster move. They have been planning that for 50 years but failed,” he added.
Last month, Duterte claimed some soldiers are conniving with communists and the opposition Liberal Party to overthrow him. The military later accused communists of crafting a Red October plot to destabilize the administration, a claim that the rebels dismissed as “paranoia.”
Last week, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said the Red October ouster plot had fizzled out because security forces were able to expose it.
But military officials claimed the rebels are expected to hatch destabilization plans to commemorate the CPP’s 50th anniversary in December. – With Cecille Suerte Felipe, Alexis Romero