Wanted NPA leader, pal nabbed in Malabon
A PHILIPPINE National Police Criminal Investigation and Detection Group-led counter-insurgency operation in Malabon City on Tuesday led to the capture of the commanding officer of the New People’s Army’s Regional Operations Command in Bicol region, a report to PNP chief, General Benjamin C. Acorda Jr. said yesterday.
PNP-CIDG director Brigadier Gen. Romeo M. Caramat Jr. said suspect Dindo Cabatingan Monsanto alias’ Ka Ruel’ was tracked down in his hiding place in Barangay Baritan in Malabon City at around 2:40 a.m.
Members of the CIDG National Capital Region, the National Capital Region Police Office’s Regional Mobile Force Battalion and the Philippine Army placed the suspect under arrest on the strength of warrants for five counts of murder, two counts of attempted murder, frustrated murder, robbery with homicide, alarm and scandal and violation of the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020, the PNP-CIDG chief said.
According to Brig. Gen. Caramat, the arrest of the suspect came after a month-long surveillance triggered by information that the latter had sought medical treatment in a well-known hospital in Manila.
He said that a companion of the suspect identified as Imilda Handumon was also arrested during the same operation.
Recovered from the possession of the duo were one caliber 5.56 M-16 automatic rifle, one cal. .45 semi-automatic pistol, one MK2 fragmentation grenade, one sealed tube containing a suspected hand grenade, one M-16 magazine with 10 live ammunition, two cal. .45 magazines with 21 bullets and a backpack containing assorted documents from the NPA’s Romulo Jalloves Command, the PNP-CIDG director said.
Brig. Gen. Caramat said that Monsanto carries a P1.2 million bounty on his head offered by the government.
He described the accused as the commanding officer of the CPP/NPA Bicol Regional Party Committee’s Regional Operations Command and a CPP/NPA Central Committee member wanted for a string of atrocities in the countryside.
According to the PNP-CIDG director, the suspect is believed to have orchestrated the killing of the late FEU football player Keith Absalon on June 6, 2021. The accused is also wanted for his role in an ambush in Bgy. Daguit in Labo, Camarines Norte that killed a policeman and wounded seven others; an arson attack that destroyed 11 heavy equipment being used to construct the Bicol International Airport in Daraga, Albay on September 29, 2017; and an attack in Bgy. Dumagmang in Labo municipality on March 24, 2021 that killed five police officers.
Brig. Gen. Caramat said they are currently conducting an in-depth investigation on the affiliation of Handumon to the accused.
