AN ALLEGED high-ranking leader of the New People's Army (NPA) was arrested by authorities on Thursday dawn, May 31.
The suspect was identified as Nerita Calamba De Castro, 55, also known as Nene, Nening and Nora. De Castro is said to be the new finance head of the rebels' Komisyon Mindanao (KOMMID). She was nabbed at the Emenville Subdivision, Barangay Ambago, Butuan City.
Last February 2, a supposed former finance officer of the CPP-NPA Komisyon Mindanao (KOMMID), identified as Leonida Guao with the aliases Leah, Ligaya, Laya, was also arrested in the same city.
After the arrest of Guao, KOMMID had designated De Castro to be in charge of all the extortion activities in Mindanao, the military said.
De Castro, a resident of Purok Malinao, Poblacion, Surigao City, Surigao del Norte was also tagged by the military as the Secretary of Regional White Area Committee (RWAC) of North Eastern Mindanao Regional Committee (NEMRC).
De Castro had a warrant of arrest for murder under criminal case number 183304 issued by Judge Lilibeth O Ladaga at Regional Trial Court 11, Judicial Branch 28, in Lianga, Surigao del Sur.
"The arrest of De Castro is a big blow on the resource generation activities of the NPA in Mindanao since she is the Finance Officer of KOMMID. This would be a relief to big and small business establishments as the arrest of the NPA's Finance officer will adversely impact on the communist terrorists' extortion activities," 402nd commanding officer Brigadier General Franco Nemesio Gacal said.
"The army is hoping that De Castro will cooperate and reveal who are the big contributors or supporters of the NPA," Gacal added.
