Philippine communist politburo member captured in Malaysia

DAVAO CITY – The Philippine military announced Tuesday the capture of a long wanted senior communist rebel leader in Malaysia just in the nick of time before he could escape to Thailand to evade arrest.

Army Lt. Gen. Greg Almerol, chief of the Eastern Mindanao Command, confirmed the capture of Eric Jun Casilao, a member of the powerful politburo of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), and regional chieftain of the New People’s Army (NPA)

The military’s Eastern Mindanao Command released to The Mindanao Examiner Regional Newspaper a photo of Eric Jun Casilao, who was captured in Malaysia while trying to escape to Thailand.

He said the Malaysian government handed over the rebel leader to the Philippine authorities and is now in the custody of the military. He said Casilao, who is in the military’s order of battle, was arrested on April 1 at the Jeti Point International Clearance Gate in Langkawi, an archipelago in northern Malaysia.

“He was boarding a ferry bound for Koh Lipe, Thailand, when joint law enforcers from the Armed Forces of the Philippines, Philippine National Police, the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency, the Bureau of Immigration, the Department of Foreign Affairs, the Royal Malaysian Police, and Malaysian Immigration arrested him,” Almerol said.

“Casilao is considered the most wanted communist terrorist group leader in Southeastern Mindanao, notorious for staging numerous atrocities in the Davao Region and other neighboring regions. He also has existing arrest warrants for murder, kidnapping and serious illegal detention, and attempted murder,” he added.

Almerol thanked the Malaysian government for its cooperation which resulted in the capture of Casilao. “Before his arrest, Casilao was put on the Malaysian Red Notice List through the request of the PNP for falsification of his passport by assuming a fake identity. He was temporarily detained in Malaysia for immigration laws violation and subsequently deported to the Philippines on April 17 to face the charges against him,” he said.

Last year, the Eastern Mindanao Command released to the public a wanted poster of Casilao in an effort to hasten his arrest, but he managed to escape a massive manhunt and eventually fled to Malaysia, according to Almerol. “This prompted Casilao to abandon his comrades for fear of being identified by the community that shall eventually lead to his arrest, and the series of defeats his group have experienced due to the relentless focus military operations launched by Eastern Mindanao Command,” Almerol said.

“The arrest of Casilao proves that the Philippine government is determined to run after those who violated our laws wherever they hide. To the remaining communist terrorist group leaders, let this be a stern warning that no stones will be left unturned even if they hide outside the country,” he added.

Almerol also released to The Mindanao Examiner Regional Newspaper a photo of Casilao escorted by policemen following his deportation.

The NPA is the CPP’s armed wing, whose founder Jose Maria Sison, 83, died in exile in The Netherlands in December last year. Sison had lived in self-exile since then-President Corazon Aquino released him from detention in 1986, shortly after the “People Power” revolt overthrew dictator Ferdinand Marcos, the father and namesake of the current Filipino president. (Mindanao Examiner)