MANILA, Philippines (PNA) — The scheduled arraignment of a top rank New People’s Army (NPA) commander in Southern Luzon on his rebellion case Wednesday was moved to March 1 due to unavailability of his lawyers.

Col. Generoso L. Bolina, spokesperson of the Southern Luzon Command (SOLCOM), said that Tirso Alcantara alias Ka Bart, the NPA commander of the Southern Tagalog Regional Party Committee (STRPC), requested the presiding judge to move his arraignment on March 1.

“Honorable Dinah Evangeline Bandong, presiding judge of Regional Trial Court, 4th Judicial Region Branch 59 in Lucena City granted his request,” Bolina said.

Bolina said the RTC in Lucena City will arrange Alcantara’s series of arraignments on his 23 standing cases which include 13 cases of murder, three cases of Robbery, one case of Theft, three cases of Kidnapping, and three cases of Rebellion.

Alcantara is also set to be arraigned on January 26 for his illegal possession of firearm and ammunition case at RTC Branch 57 in Lucena City.

Last January 4, Alcantara was arrested together with another NPA member, Apolinario Cuarto alias Polly in Lucena City by joint elements of the Philippine Army and the Philippine National Police (PNP). During his arrest he was the commander of the STRPC of NPA.

Alcantara is now under the custody of the Philippine Army in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig.

Meanwhile, SOLCOM chief Lieutenant General Roland Detabali said that SOLCOM will abide on the court’s decision or even adhere to the political decision on the cases of Ka Bart.

Detabali said the command’s new campaign plan is to support the peace negotiation and to enhance its commitment in pursuing development in rural areas.