BY RUBY P. SILUBRICO
ILOILO City – In another big blow to the insurgency movement, a ranking official of the Communist Party of the Philippines – New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) was arrested in Barangay Buntatala, Jaro district here.
Eduardo Almores Esteban, 60, is the director of communications of the CPP-NPA, according to Major Ray Tiongson, spokesperson of the Philippine Army’s 3rd Infantry Division.
Esteban was collared on Tuesday in a house in Barangay Buntatala. But his arrest was not immediately made public until his identity had been ascertained.
After his identity had been verified, Esteban was immediately flown to Abra where the warrant for his arrest emanated.
Esteban, who used the aliases “Bonnie” and “Benny”, had been charged with murder. The Regional Trial Court, Branch 2 in Bangued, Abra issued his arrest warrant.
Combined forces of the Philippine Army’s 31st Infantry Brigade, the Armed Forces’ Intelligence Service and Jaro police station effected Esteban’s arrest.
Esteban was previously the secretary of the CPP-NPA Ilocos-Cordillera Regional Party Committee, said Brigadier General Arnold Quiapo, commander of the 31st Infantry Brigade.
“His arrest is a big blow to the CPP-NPA whose leadership has been successively arrested,” said Quiapo.
He was referring to the arrest of Benito Tiamzon and wife Wilma in Barangay Zaragoza, Aloguinsan, Cebu on March 22.
The Tiamzons were said to have taken over the helm of the insurgency movement from Jose Ma. Sison, a long-time exile in the Netherlands.
Wilma Tiamzon is the secretary general of the CPP-NPA while husband Benito, 63, is the chairman of the CPP-NPA. They were arrested by virtue of a warrant of arrest for murder, multiple murders and frustrated murder.
Sources from the military said Esteban had been staying in Iloilo City for quite some time and even ran several business interests.
Armed Forces chief of staff, General Gregorio Pio Catapang Jr. hailed Quiapo and his men, and the police for Esteban’s arrest.
The CPP-NPA has been waging one of Asia’s longest-running communist insurgency.
Peace talks between government and the CPP’s political wing, the National Democratic Front of the Philippines, broke down in April 2013 due to disagreements between both parties.
The CPP pulled out of peace talks after the government rejected rebel demands to free jailed comrades whom they claimed were consultants to the negotiations.
The Maoist rebels have been waging an armed rebellion to seize power since 1969 and more than 30,000 people have died in the conflict, according to the government./PN
