Army troopers capture 2 communist rebels in Sorsogon

By Mar S. Arguelles

Two suspected ranking leaders of the New People’s Army (NPA) were captured by government troopers on Christmas Day in a remote village in Bulusan town in Sorsogon province, a military report said.

Nabbed were Enriquita Guelas alias Cora/Corazon Escandor, secretary of the NPA Larangan 2 (L2) guerilla front, and Elizabeth Estilon aka Lanie, an NPA medic, according to Capt. John Paul Belleza, Army’s 9th Infantry Division’s public affairs chief.

Belleza said the soldiers were on patrol operations in Barangay Lalud at around 5:30 AM when they chanced upon Winefredo Guyala Griego alias Adax/Lolo, a ranking leader of the NPA L2 operating in the province, but during the brief skirmish, the rebel leader was able to flee with two other armed companions.

He said the soldiers while scouring the area for the fleeing rebels when they sighted two suspicious looking persons in a nearby house prompting the soldiers to investigate. The troopers saw spotted an improvised shotgun and while conducting search, also found anti-personnel land mines, blasting caps, detonators, 100-meter wire, three hand grenades, three backpacks, and medical equipment.

Investigation said Guelas was the wife of Griego who together with other rebels went into hiding after an armed encounter with soldiers of the 22nd Infantry Battalion (22IB) last Nov. 23 in Irosin town where one of their comrades was killed and one M16 rifle was recovered.