Army troops killed a top-ranking commander of the New People’s Army (NPA), who was also a son of the late Mindanao communist leader George “Ka Oris” Madlos, during a firefight in Bukidnon over the weekend, the military reported on Monday.
Vincent Isagani Madlos was killed during a firefight with elements of the 8th Infantry Battalion on Saturday afternoon in Barangay Kapitan, Bayong, Impasug-ong, Bukidnon, Major Francisco Garello Jr., spokesman of the 4th Infantry Division, said.
Madlos’s wife, Angie Polandres Salinas, was also killed during the clash.
Col. Ted Dumosmog, officer in charge of the 403rd Infantry Brigade, said the couple were members of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Philippines.
He said Madlos was also the head of the National Technical Bureau, while his wife was the head of the National Communications Bureau, both of the National Operations Command (NOC) of the NPA.
“Madlos had multiple warrants of arrests for the crimes committed from different areas in Caraga and Northern Mindanao regions,” Dumosmog said.
Madlos was the son of Ka Oris, who was also killed by soldiers during an operation in the mountainous area of Sitio Gabunan, Barangay Dumalaguing, Impasug-ong, Bukidnon on October 30, 2021.
Ka Oris was the former head of the NOC and former spokesman of the communist group. He was the topmost rebel commander in Mindanao.
Garello said the soldiers recovered two AK-47 assault rifles during the 15 minutes of firefight with Madlos and his men.
Meanwhile, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said policemen in Roxas City, Capiz, also arrested another ranking rebel.
PNP public information office chief Brig. Gen. Roderick Augustus Balba identified the suspect as Lenilyn Jaynos, reportedly an identified NGO worker.
During the operation wherein a warrant was served, policemen seized two .45 caliber pistols and two fragmentation grenades along with ammunition and magazines.
“The arrested suspect is tagged as the regional finance of Komiteng Rehiyon-Panay. Two of her cohorts escaped arrest and are now subjects of a search operation,” Balba said.