A COUPLE believed to be top Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army leaders in the country were killed in a reported gunbattle with agents of the Philippine National Police Criminal Investigation and Detection Group around 3:35 a.m. Wednesday, a report to PNP chief, General Debold M. Sinas said yesterday.
PNP-CIDG director, Major Gen. Joel Napoleon M. Coronel identified the slain suspects as Agaton Topacio alias ‘Vic Ocampo Villoria’ and Eugenia Magpantay alias ‘Remilita Martinez Villoria’
According to Coronel, members of the CIDG Regional Field Unit 4-A, the Rizal Provincial Police Office and the Angono Municipal Police Station were about to serve four search warrants and two warrants of arrest issued against the two suspects inside their residence on 12 Kinglet Street in Meralco Village, Barangay Mahabang Parang in Angono when the couple resisted and exchanged fire with the officers.
Both suspects died while being taken to the Rizal Provincial Hospital for treatment.
The PNP-CIDG said the search warrants for violation of Republic Act 10591 or the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulations Act of 2013 and RA 9516 or illegal possession of explosives were issued by the Antipolo City Regional Trial Court while the warrants of arrest for attempted homicide and murder were issued respectively against Topacio and Magpantay by the Pantabangan Municipal Trial Court in Nueva Ecija and the Palayan City RTC Branch 40.
Recovered during the operation were a Colt M-16 automatic rifle with a magazine containing 12 live ammunition, one M-16 magazine with a magazine containing four bullets, a caliber .45 Rock Island pistol with a magazine, cal. .45 Federal pistol with a magazine containing seven live ammunition, two MK2 grenades, 18 assorted identification cards and assorted computer gadgets and accessories as well as assorted documents.
The recovered firearms were brought to the Rizal Provincial Crime Laboratory while the grenades were taken to the Rizal Explosives and Ordnance Disposal Team.
The couple were previously identified as top leaders of the CPP/NPA Central Luzon Regional Committee. An investigation into the incident is still underway as of press time, said Rizal police director, Colonel Joseph Arguelles.
