MANILA—The spokesperson of women's rights group Gabriela-NCR and her husband, an officer of urban poor rights group Kadamay, were arrested Thursday in Paco, Manila for illegal possession of firearms and explosives.

Cora Agovida, 37, and Michael Bartolome, 39, were arrested based on a search warrant for illegal possession of firearms, ammunition and explosives, according to Metro Manila police director Brig. Gen. Debold Sinas.

Sinas refuted reports of a state crackdown on leftist groups, after more than 60 members of Gabriela and Kilusang Mayo Uno were nabbed in a joint operation by the police and military in Bacolod.

• Opisina ng Kilusang Mayo Uno at Gabriela sa Bacolod, ni-raid ng pulisya, militar

"I don't think so, that there is a crackdown against militants. It was just an ordinary implementation and it ended in a success," he told reporters.

Authorities said they seized from the suspects two .45-caliber guns, two .45-caliber magazines, 13 pieces of .45-caliber live ammunition, and two hand grenades.

Four cellphones, a laptop, two external memory drives, 13 flash drives, 5 IDs, and an iPod were also confiscated from the couple.

Agovida and Bartolome are now detained at a field office in Manila, facing further investigation.