MANILA (UPDATED) - The Philippine National Police on Thursday announced its capture in Quezon City of what it described as a ranking officer of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army-National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF).
PNP chief Gen. Rodolfo Azurin Jr. said operatives of the Police Regional Office (PRO) 6 arrested Adora Faye De Veyra alias Boying/Ato/Vida in Maalalahanin Street, Teachers Village East on Wednesday afternoon.
“I am pleased to announce the capture of another ranking officer of the communist terrorist group operating in Western Visayas,” Azurin said at a press conference following a PNP event in San Fernando, Pampanga.
He said police had a warrant for De Veyra’s arrest issued by the Iloilo City Regional Trial Court Branch 22 for multiple murder and multiple frustrated murder charges with use of explosives, allegedly for using land mines.
Azurin added that according to police records, De Veyra is a staff officer of the general command of the CPP/NPA/NDF and secretary of the central front of the CPP-NPA regional committee in Panay island.
Police Brig. Gen. Leo Francisco, Regional Director of PRO 6, released to ABS-CBN News De Veyra’s picture in a directory of alleged communist leaders wanted by the police.
Charged with a separate case of rebellion, De Veyra has a P2.5 million bounty for her capture.
Image from the Philippine National Police
Meanwhile, the PNP also said it was able to foil a kidnapping attempt on a Malaysian businessman in Bamban, Tarlac. The police arrested the 33-year-old Malaysian suspect and four of his Filipino cohorts.
The PNP also said its crime data showed a steady decline in crime trends in the country over a 12-year period, or since 2010.
The country's Peace and Order Indicator (POI), or the sum of both Index and Non-Index Crime cases has been decreasing since the term of the late president Benigno Aquino III.
The PNP likewise noted that there seemed to be a "sensational surge" in social media reporting of crime incidents, most of which have already been solved by the police.
"The PNP would like do our part in educating our people to be more discerning of the true situation, particularly on crime matters, and be able to distinguish between crime hike and crime hype," Azurin said in a statement.
FROM THE ARCHIVE