Top NPA commander, 2 others killed in Antipolo shootout —military

A top New People's Army leader facing criminal charges was killed in a shootout with government security forces in Antipolo City in Rizal early Thursday morning, according to the military.

A military statement identified the slain rebel as Armando Lazarte alias Pat Romano, allegedly the secretary of Southern Tagalog Regional Party Committee's Sub-Regional Military Area 4A.

Lazarte was killed about 2 a.m. after he and two other companions shot military and police personnel who were about to serve warrants of arrest for murder and frustrated murder against him in a subdivision in Brgy Cupang.

Lazarte's two companions were also killed in the ensuing shootout.

Lieutenant Colonel Christopher Diaz, commander of the 80th Infantry Battalion which operates in Rizal, described Lazarte as a "notorious NPA commander."

He said Lazarte led the burning of equipment at the Kaliwa Dam project in Infanta, Quezon early this year and the series of ambush utilizing land mines against policemen in Baras and Antipolo City in 2018.

Colonel Alex Rillera, commander of the 202nd Brigade which has operational jurisdiction over the area, said that after the initial exchange of fires, they applied first aid to the wounded rebels who were then brought to Amang Rodriguez Hospital where they were declared dead on arrival by the attending physician.

Government troops recovered one M16 rifle, one 9mm pistol, one cal .45 pistol, two hand grenades, laptops, cellphones and "voluminous enemy documents" from the slain rebels.

Lieutenant General Gilbert Gapay, the incoming Philippine Army chief and outgoing Southern Luzon Command leader, lauded the government troops for "being steadfast in defeating the NPA terrorists in Southern Tagalog which will pave the way for peace, prosperity and development in the immediate south of the national government’s seat of power."

The military said Lazarte was the second high-ranking NPA leader from Southern Tagalog to be neutralized in nine days following the arrest of Jaime Padilla, a central committee member, in November. —KBK, GMA News