2 NPA leaders nabbed in Cagayan

TUGUEGARAO CITY, Cagayan, Philippines — Two female communist leaders operating in Northern Luzon were arrested at a checkpoint in Barangay Barbarit, Gattaran, Cagayan on Tuesday. 

Cristina Garcia, 60, and Violeta Ricardo, 54, are executive committee officer of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army and deputy secretary of the NPA Northern Luzon Front Committee, respectively, Brig. Gen. Mario Espino, Cagayan Valley police director, said.

Police records show that Garcia was indicted in connection with the killing of eight police Special Action Force commandos in an ambush in 2013 and murder of Councilor Zaldy Mallari in 2017, both in Allapacan. She was also tagged in the ambush of a convoy of Army vehicles in Rizal, Cagayan that left one soldier dead, also in 2017.

Ricardo was charged over the kidnapping and killing of Jomar Alonzo, campaign leader of Gov. Manuel Mamba in May. Her group was also tagged in the burning of heavy equipment of a construction firm in Baggao town last year.

The Criminal Investigation and Detection Group said Ricardo has a P2.4 million bounty on her head.

Meanwhile, Delilah Padilla, a member of the NPA’s Southern Front, and her alleged coddler Carol Ballesta were arrested in Barangay Leonarda, Tuguegarao City.

Padilla is wanted for murder, direct assault with murder and frustrated murder.