THE Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said the death of Menandro Villanueva, the highest-ranking official of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) in Mindanao last January 5, 2021, also resulted to the recovery of his ‘backpack’ that contains a treasure-trove of information such as the list of companies and individuals who continue to give financial support to the terrorist movement despite this being contrary to law.
At a press conference at the headquarters of the 10th Infantry ‘Agila’ Division on January 7, 2022 in Mawab, Davao de Oro presided by Eastern Mindanao (Eastmincom) area commander, Lt. General Greg T. Almerol and division commander, M/Gen. Ernesto ‘Jun’ Torres Jr., the military officials said they were “surprised” to learn from the list recovered from the possession of Menardo Villanueva that in the first half of 2021, the communist terrorist group had received over P20 million from still-to-be-named companies and individuals in Mindanao.
The press conference was purposely called to inform the public of other details of Villanueva’s operations in Mindanao and its impact on the fate of the already fledgling terrorist movement.
“We were surprised,” Torres admitted. He noted their previous “estimate” indicated that for the whole of 2021, the CPP-NPA in Mindanao operating under Villanueva, only managed to collect some P1.4 million.
Villanueva, 70, was the among the ‘founders’ of the CPP-NPA movement in Mindanao, having moved there in the ‘70s during the expansion years of the terrorist movement in the island. He was the secretary of ‘KomMid’ (Komisyon Mindanao), the CPP highest political organ in the island and responsible for the terrorists’ entire operations in the island (see related story in this issue).
Torres added they have already turned over the list found on Villannueva’s “backpack” (knapsack) to the “legal cluster” of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) for further study and filing of appropriate charges against those who would be identified as giving money to the CPP-NPA.
Giving material aid and comfort to terrorist groups and individuals is punishable with imprisonment and freezing of assets under RA 11479 (Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020) and RA
10168 or the ‘Terrorism Financing Prevention and Suppression Act’ (see also Pinoy Exposé article of January 5 2022)
‘Informant’ assured of reward
B/Gen. Jesus Durante, 1001st Brigade commander, whose group neutralized Villanueva, however claimed the names of those in the list are “coded” and would still need validation, especially by former subordinates of Villanueva in the terrorist movement who have since decided to return to the fold of the law.
He also assured that the yet-to- be-named ‘informant’ who tipped them off on the whereabouts of Villanueva would be given a “part” of the P5.6 million reward for his capture, dead or alive.
Aside from this, another P2 million cash coming from Pres. Duterte would also be given, added Torres.
In its original press statement, the military attributed the success of the operation against Villanueva to a “concerned citizen.”
The military officials also called on couple Torres said with the demise of Villanueva and Reyes, the SMRPC is now left in the hands of couple Eric and May Casilao, the remaining leaders of the CPP’s Southern Mindanao Regional Party Committee (SMRPC), to surrender instead.
As another ranking CPP official in Mindanao after Villanueva, Torres noted that Casilao has a bounty of P5.4 million, also for his arrest, dead or alive.
NPA retaliation unlikely
Ariane Jane Ramos, aka, ‘Marikit,’ the erstwhile guerrilla front (GF) 52 secretary until she decided to surrender in August 2021, said during the press conference that it is the “standing policy” of the CPP-NPA to immediately launch “tactical offensives” against the military in case of death of ranking terrorist leaders like Villanueva,
The G5 52 is directly under Villanueva.
This, she explained, is to create the impression that such death does not affect the power and morale of the CPP-NPA.
But according to Almerol and another former CPP front secretary, Noel Legaspi, the situation is different in the case of Villanueva.
“Wala namang puwedeng pumalit na katulad niya,” Almerol pointed out, stressing that other CPP-NPA leaders are “not of the same calibre” as Villanueva.
Legaspi also offered the view that like what happened after the death of Jorge’ Ka Oris’ Madlos last October 30, 2021 after an encounter in Bukidnon, the death of Villanueva would result not only to more demoralization in the dwindling ranks of the terrorists in the island but, even to the collapse of the whole SMRPC, the last organized bastion of the CPP in the country.
“Isang linggo matapos mamatay si Madlos, sumuko na ang kanyang ibang mga kasamahan. Ganyan din ang mangyayari sa pagkamatay ni Villanueva,” Legaspi claimed, as he further described the slain terrorist leader as the ‘Karl Marx of the CPP.’