Top communist leader and three others arrested in southern Luzon

Manila: A high-ranking communist leader and three others were arrested in the Bicol region in southern Luzon on Saturday, a belated military report said yesterday.

Andres Hubila, secretary of the 39-year-old Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), was arrested after a joint military and police operation at a checkpoint along Maharlika in Daraga, Albay at 3:30 pm on Saturday, Lt Col Ernesto Torres, spokesman for the Philippine Army, said yesterday.

The Intelligence Operatives of 9th Infantry Division and the Philippine National Police (PNP) in Sorsogon identified Hubila, also known as Magno and Youngest, as "a major catch", Torres said.

Seized

Also held with Hubila were Eddie Alemania, Crispolo Alindogan and Gajo Ladim, who were identified as "major leftist leaders", Torres said.

A new Nissan Sentra car, a laptop computer, an MP3 player, a mobile phone, six backpacks and a shoulder bag were seized from them, Torres said, adding: "They are now undergoing custodial debriefing and were scheduled to be turned over to the PNP in Sorsogon."

Meanwhile, 20 members of the communist New People's Army, CPP's armed wing, torched the telecommunication tower of Globe Telecoms in Tabon-Tabon village, Irosin, in Sorsogon province on Sunday, Torres said.