A prison escapee turned NPA member was apprehended by joint forces of the Philippine Army and Philippine National Police on Wednesday, February 8, 2023.

Joint elements of the 4th Infantry Battalion, Oriental Mindoro PNP, and Mansalay PNP at Barangay Panaytayan were conducting combat operations when they apprehended Orlando G Fesarit alias Manong, member of KLG MAV's Platun Serna from the Southern Tagalog Regional Party Committee's Sub-Regional Military Area 4D. Fesarit became a member of the NPA after he escaped from the Sablayan Penal Colony. During his debriefing, he admitted that he was among the CTGs who ambushed PNP personnel of 403rd RMFB in Sitio Mabaho, Brgy Cabalwa, Mansalay, OrMin and 1st OCC PMFC, Occidental Mindoro in Barangay Nicolas, Magsaysay in 2021.

The troops also seized from Fesarit one M1 Carbine, one magazine, seven rounds of caliber .30 carbine ammunition, and one improvised grenade.

"We are relentlessly working together with our security partners, LGUs and key stakeholders to secure our communities from the atrocities of the CPP-NPA-NDF. With this, we are urging the remaining rebels to surrender and be part of the peace and progress in Southern Tagalog" 2ID Commander Maj. Gen. Roberto S. Capulong said in a statement. (DPAO)