Police arrested 7 alleged members of the rebel group New People's Army (NPA) in Puerto Princesa City on Friday.

They were arrested at a checkpoint along the national highway in Barangay San Jose.

Police said they identified a wanted personality, Domingo "Ka Dino" Ritas, among the suspects. Ritas, who had been charged with murder, was reportedly deputy secretary of the NPA in the area.

Authorities are still trying to identify the others.

Police recovered from the suspects a 9-mm pistol with ammunition, rifle grenades, an improvised galvanometer, MKS2 hand grenades, blasting caps, NPA uniforms, and a flag of the leftist National Democratic Front group.

The media were not allowed to interview the suspects.

Some towns in Palawan have declared members of NPA and other communist groups persona non grata.

- Report from Rex Ruta, ABS-CBN News