Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte congratulated the Philippine National Police, Armed Forces of the Philippines, and other government agencies behind the arrest of Eric John Casilao, touted as the most wanted leader of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA).
“I am glad that finally, Mr. Casilao has fallen, and I hope that all who died because of Mr. Casilao will get justice,” the vice president said in a statement shared with the media on Thursday afternoon.
Duterte said Casilao holds an important position in the terrorist organization NPA.
“Actively hatching plans to attack government forces and infrastructures, attack civilian communities and the killing of Lumad leaders, and the forcible collection of extortion money from mining and agribusiness companies,” she said.
“Many lives have been tragically upended and destroyed because of the ideology of violence espoused by Mr. Casilao and his terror group. Developments in the countryside were also among the casualties of their senseless cause,” she added.
The vice president said the arrest of Casilao is only the beginning of the fight for justice for the victims of the bloodbath and other forms of violence perpetrated by the terrorist NPA allegedly headed by him across many parts of Mindanao, including the regions of Davao and Caraga.
Casilao a.k.a. Elian/Wally/Chan/Kuya, alleged secretary of the Southern Mindanao Regional Committee (SMRC) and Central Committee member of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), Communist Terrorist Group (CTG), was apprehended at Jeti Point International Clearance Gate, Langkawi, Malaysia on April 1, 2023 through a joint law enforcement operation of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), Philippine National Police (PNP), National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA), Bureau of Immigration, and Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) with the Royal Malaysian Police (RMP) and Malaysian Immigration.
He was brought to Davao City on April 17, 2023 where he was turned over to the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group 11 (CIDG 11).
Casilao has existing warrants of arrest for crimes of murder, kidnapping, serious illegal detention, and attempted murder.
