Philippines’ Top Communist Guerrilla Arrested

The commander in chief of the Communist New People’s Army, who is suspected in a 1974 attack that killed five U.S. Navy officers, has been captured, the Philippine military announced Tuesday.

Negotiators for the guerrilla group threatened to cut off peace talks with the government of President Corazon Aquino unless it frees Rodolfo Salas, also known as Commander Bilog.

Salas, 38, his wife, Josefina Cruz, and his security driver were arrested at 8:45 p.m. Monday outside the downtown Philippine General Hospital by police intelligence agents, a Defense Ministry statement said.

Salas, who had a $12,500 reward on his head for his capture dead or alive, was returning to the hospital for an examination after undergoing surgery for sinus and thyroid problems about a week ago, the armed forces spokesman, Brig. Gen. Luis San Andres, said.

The arrest came hours after government peace negotiator Ramon Mitra, the agriculture minister, predicted that a 30-day truce with the 17,000-member New People’s Army could be reached this week.

Clashes involving the guerrillas have left nearly 2,000 dead since Aquino came to power in February after a civilian-backed coup ousted President Ferdinand E. Marcos.

Press Secretary Teodoro Benigno said Aquino will have no immediate comment on the arrest of Salas, describing it as a “military matter.”

‘Very Serious Issue’

Defense Minister Juan Ponce Enrile said that the military will strongly object if Aquino considers releasing Salas, warning it would “raise a very serious issue in our country.”

Enrile has said repeatedly that he doubts the sincerity of the rebels in negotiating with the government and believes they are buying time to increase their strength.

The Defense Ministry statement did not specify any charges against Salas. However, it said that he was implicated in several ambushes and raids north of Manila between 1974 and 1980, including the April 10, 1974, killing of five U.S Navy officers near Subic Bay Naval Base.

Salas was captured by the national police in 1973, but he escaped and went underground, the military said.

Arno Sandidad and Romeo Capulong, attorneys for the underground National Democratic Front, the political wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines, read reporters a statement on behalf of the guerrilla negotiators denouncing the arrests.

Salas, his wife and the driver were “directly and actively involved” in the peace talks, it said. “Their arrest imperils the further progress of the talks, and we demand their immediate release.”

Capulong charged that “elements in the military” are out to “scuttle the peace talks” that began in August.

However, Enrile, speaking at a question-and-answer session after a speech to a civic group, said, “If the NDF uses the issue to break off negotiations, it’s the NDF’s business.”

A ranking Defense Ministry official who spoke on condition of anonymity said the arrests place Aquino in a dilemma. If she refuses to release Salas, the talks may collapse. If she orders him freed, Aquino would “risk losing the last ounce of sympathy of junior officers,” he said.