ILOILO CITY – Military officials here say the capture of high-ranking Communist terrorist Cirila Estrada alias Cora in this city over the weekend is a big blow to the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA)’s operations in southern and eastern Panay.

Estrada, said to be the Secretary of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army Kilusang Rehiyon (CPP-NPA) Regional Movement-Panay Southern Front Committee was arrested by a joint army-police patrol team in a mall in Iloilo, even as two top NPA cadres were killed in action in Negros Occidental over the weekend.

Lt. Mark Andrew Posadas, Head of the Department of Public Affairs Office (DPAO), 3rd Infantry Division, Philippine Army reported that Estrada was collared at downtown Iloilo City, Friday. Her committee is reportedly operating in the hinterlands of Igbaras, Leon, San Joaquin and Miag-ao, all in Iloilo province.

By virtue of several warrants of arrest, Estrada was pinpointed in her location after the civilians informed the army of the Estrada’s presence.

She is facing multiple murder, frustrated murder, and robbery with physical injury charges for crimes committed in Antique province and southern Iloilo.

Specific charges against her are as follows: criminal case No. 5257-SR, for multiple murder and frustrated murder, September 7, 2004, filed at the 2nd Municipal Circuit Trial Court of Sibalom, San Remigio, and Belison in Antique province; criminal case no. 1298-H for murder, April 16, 1990, filed with the 1st Municipal Circuit Trial Court of Hamtic-Tobias Fornier-Anini-y, Hamtic municipality, Antique province; criminal case no. 1299-H for murder, April 16, 1990 filed likewise at the 1st Municipal Circuit Trial Court of Hamtic-Tobias Fornier-Anini-y, Hamtic municipality, Antique province; and criminal case no. 2627-TU, robbery in band with frustrated homicide and damage to property with use of motor vehicle and unlicensed firearms, July 12, 2004, filed at the 15th Municipal Circuit Trial Court, Guimbal municipality, Iloilo.

Estrada is now detained at the Iloilo Police Provincial office.

According to Posadas, the CPP-NPA’s numbers in southern and eastern Panay are “dwindling due to difficulty in recruiting new NPA members as well as the exodus of their current members who either go AWOL, or are surrendering in the hope that they would be able to get into Government’s Social Integration program (SIP).”