NPA leader, wife nabbed in N. Philippines

A high-ranking official of the leftist New People's Army (NPA), allegedly responsible for the death of about 19 people during twin attacks years ago, along with his wife, was arrested Thursday in northern Philippine province of Batangas, military said on Friday.

Norberto Boricco, aka Isaw, and his NPA wife known for her aliases Indi/Eldi were arrested in a joint law enforcement operation by the military and the police in Niogan village, Lemery town, said Harold Cabuboc, public information chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).

"The couple was arrested through the strength of warrant of arrests for their involvement in cases of murders and frustrated murders perpetrated in Samar," he said.

The authorities recovered from their possession one hand grenade, a laptop computer, a smartphone, six cellphones and seven flash drives.

Borrico is the Front Secretary and Finance Officer of the NPA rebels operating in the municipalities of Northern Samar in central Philippines.

According to Cabunoc, the rebel leader led the twin attacks in the towns of Oras and Arteche in Eatern Samar in 2003 and 2013 where 11 soldiers, two policemen, five government militiamen and one civilian were killed.

The arrest of the couple is a result of a tip from an NPA supporter who confessed that he was already tired of receiving extortion threats and demands from the NPA badits, Cabunoc added.

The 4,000-strong NPA has been waging war against the government for over four decades. Endi