20 Philippines Communists Held

The military announced today that it arrested 20 prominent members of the Communist Party and seized data that includes a list of foreign and domestic supporters of the communist rebels.

Among those captured were Tomas Dominado and an underground Roman Catholic priest, Father Nicholas Ruiz, believed to be members of the outlawed party’s ruling Central Committee, said Gen. Renao de Villa, the military chief of staff. He called the arrests a “major blow” to the Communist Party and to its armed wing, the New People’s Army. “I believe this will create a major disruption” of the communist insurgency, he said.