‘Umalis sila (NPA in Kalinga) para maglie-low, under custody na sila ng ating mga kapulisan’ - Major Gen. Señires on arrest of 10 rebels in QC and Tarlac

Tabuk City, Kalinga – 10 members of the New People’s Army (NPA), according to authorities, attempted to evade detection by authorities by traveling outside Kalinga following a series of armed clashes in Pinukpuk in November 2025, but were tracked down.

The group were apprehended by police and military personnel during two simultaneous operations to serve warrants of arrest in Quezon City and Tarlac City on March 11, 2026.

Authorities identified them as members of the Ilocos Cordillera Regional Committee (ICRC), five of whom were reported to be high-ranking officials.

The 501st Infantry Brigade identified those arrested in Tarlac as Gabriel Kennedy Lao-ing Bangibang, former secretary of the KLG Baggas and National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) consultant (with a warrant of arrest for attempted murder); Theresa Falitnang Forag, member of NPA Abra, ICRC (qualified trafficking in persons); Javar Anglao Sugao, former intelligence officer of the defunct KLG Baggas and currently the vice commanding officer of NPA Kalinga, ICRC (attempted murder); Renato Ginez, member of NPA Kalinga, ICRC (attempted murder); Rani Francella Tuazon, member of NPA Kalinga, ICRC (attempted murder); and Marc Arriane Mendiola y Tolentino, member of NPA Kalinga, ICRC (illegal possession of firearms and explosives).

Arrested in Quezon City were Bobby Calsiyao Yag-ao, former member of KLG Baggas and assistant medic of NPA Abra (with an active warrant for frustrated murder), and two others. One of the two was later released due to the absence of an arrest warrant, while the other voluntarily cooperated with authorities and is currently applying for amnesty.

During a press conference on March 13, 5th Infantry Division Commander Maj. Gen. Gulliver Señires said authorities had been continuously monitoring communist terrorist groups with the help of communities. The 10 individuals had reportedly been closely tracked following the series of clashes in Pinukpuk in November 2025.

“Doon pa lang tuloy-tuloy na ang monitoring and we found out that they went out of the province. Sabi nga ni BGen. Mamaril kanina, they went out para mag-lie low kasi mainit yung pursuit at operation sa kanila,” he said.

Although the suspects moved to urban areas far from Kalinga, intelligence officers were able to locate them through information provided by communities, leading to the successful serving of their arrest warrants.

“Yung unang question that came into my mind nung naaresto sila in the morning of March 11, bakit sila magkakasama. This confirms our assumption na siguro meron silang pinag-usapan na plano in the future, but yung plano na ’yon ay plano na lamang. Hindi na maisasakatuparan kasi under custody na sila ng ating mga kapulisan,” he added.

Señires assured that the arrested individuals would be treated humanely while under police custody as they face the charges filed against them.