A leader of the New People's Army was arrested on Wednesday by Philippine government troops in Iloilo, west of the country, a military official disclosed Thursday.

Army spokesman Bartolome Bacarro said the suspect, identified as Romeo Capalla, alias Karyo, is currently under the safekeeping of police intelligence operatives for tactical interrogation.

Bacarro said Capalla's arrest was covered by a warrant for violation of Presidential Decree 1744 otherwise known as destructive arson. The official however did not say when or where Capalla committed arson.

The Army official said Capalla was turned over to the police after his arrest.

Capalla is the second ranking communist leader of the rebel New People's Army to fall in government's hand for the past several weeks. Late last month, the military arrested Monico Cardinal, the top communist leader in Sorsogon, southeast of Luzon Island.

Source: Xinhua