CIDG Maintains Legitimacy of Anti-Terror Operations, Denies Planting of Evidence

Strategic Insights -

The Philippine National Police's (PNP) Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) has maintained that its operations in Quezon City and Bulacan were legitimate, despite allegations by groups Gabriela and Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) of planting evidence and peddling wrong information. CIDG chief Maj. Gen. Albert Ferro stated that the PNP neither condones planting of evidence nor does it authorize red-tagging, and that the CIDG welcomes inquiries or investigations to shed light on the matter.

Ferro added that Gabriela merely wants to discredit the police officers involved in the operation and that this was not the first instance that law enforcement personnel discovered Gabriela and Bayan Muna party-list posters along with contrabands during legitimate operations. The CIDG will continue to stand for truth and justice, and remains committed to the attainment of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict's (NTF ELCAC) objectives.

On Tuesday, Gil Peralta, a regular member of the CPP Central Committee and one of the convenors of the CPP 2nd Congress, was arrested at his rented house in Barangay Maribolo, Quezon City. Peralta was nabbed for frustrated murder and arson, and authorities seized various firearms, ammunition, and explosives from his possession.

Key Takeaways:

  • The CIDG maintained that its operations in Quezon City and Bulacan were legitimate, despite allegations by Gabriela and Bayan of planting evidence and peddling wrong information.
  • CIDG chief Maj. Gen. Albert Ferro stated that the PNP neither condones planting of evidence nor does it authorize red-tagging.
  • Gabriela and Bayan were accused of trying to discredit the police officers involved in the operation.
  • Gil Peralta, a regular member of the CPP Central Committee, was arrested for frustrated murder and arson on Tuesday.
  • Peralta was implicated in several NPA attacks in the Cagayan Valley region, including the burning of DDT Construction equipment in October 2020 and an attack on a CAFGU Active Auxiliary detachment in July 2019.
  • Former KR-CV members revealed that Peralta was involved in corruption activities within the CPP-NPA and used funds generated from extortion operations for personal gains.
  • The CPP-NPA-NDF is listed as a terrorist organization by various countries, including the United States, European Union, and the Philippines.

Statistics:

  • 6 members of the CPP-NPA-NDF were arrested in the series of operations in Quezon City and Bulacan.
  • PHP 700,000 bounty was placed on the head of Agcaoili, the finance head of KR-CV.
  • 32 pieces of ammunition, 93 inches detonating cap, an MK2 fragmentation grenade, 12 blasting caps, eight improvised boosters, a holster for pistol, and a cellular phone were seized from Peralta's possession.
  • The NPA has been listed as a terrorist organization by various countries since 1973.

Sources:

  • Philippine National Police
  • CIDG
  • Gabriela
  • Bayan
  • The Anti-Terrorism Council (June 23, 2021)