PAOCC assists in surrender of 52 ex-NPAs; suspected ‘Alcala Drug Group’ member nabbed

Usec. Gilbert Cruz putting to good use his experience as top cop

On Feb 24, 2023

One with the people. Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) Executive Director Gilbert Cruz (third from right), with other police and local officials of Agusan del Sur, happily join former supporters and fighters of the New People’s Army (NPA) for a ‘boodle fight’ during the surrender ceremony held in the province, February 23, 2023. A bemedaled 2-star police general, Cruz had also served as regional police director of the Caraga region (photo credit: PAOCC).

THE Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC) now headed by retired police major general, Gilbert Cruz, continues to contribute to the government’s national security and anti-crime campaigns, this time assisting the reintegration into mainstream society of 52 former fighters from the communist New People’s Army (NPA), Caraga region in Mindanao, and supervising the arrest of a suspected member of the ‘Alcala Drug Group’ in Quezon City.

Cruz, Palace Undersecretary and PAOCC executive director, in his report to Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, said the ‘surrenderees’ in Agusan del Sur, also presented to the authorities 10 shotguns, 4 assault rifles, eight .38 caliber revolvers, two .22 caliber rifles, one .22 caliber pistol, 2 .357 pistols, assorted ammunition, 7 gallons of IEDs (improvised explosive/anti-personnel device) and components for the manufacture of explosives.

Cruz said the simple surrender ceremony took place last February 23, 2023, at the Datu Lipus Makapandong Cultural Hall, Democrito O. Plaza Government Center, Brgy. Patin-ay, Prosperidad, Agusan del Sur.

Aside from the 52 former terrorists, about 200 of their mass supporters from the village of Balit, San Luis, also decided to swear again their oath of allegiance to the government.

Assisting Cruz in welcoming back to mainstream society the former communist terrorists and their mass supporters are Agusan del Sur Provincial Police Office director P/Col. Jovito Canlapan, Governor Santiago Cane Jr., PNP Special Action Force (SAF) commander, P/MGen. Edgar Alan Okubo and Army officials from the 401^st Infantry Brigade, 4^th Infantry Division.

Cruz also informed Bersamin that the surrenderees where also provided with sacks of rice, assorted grocery items and cash.

Cruz had also served as Caraga regional police director during his stint with the Philippine National Police (PNP) for one year, from September 2018 to September 2019.

In a separate operation on the same day in Quezon City, the PNP’s Drug Enforcement Group (DEG) informed Ruiz on the arrest of an alleged member of the notorious ‘Alcala Drug Group.’

Arrested during the buy-bust operation conducted by the PDEG in coordination with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) at Hawk Alley St., Bgy. Ibaba, Batasan Hills, was ‘Milky Buala Alcala,’ 27. Seized from the suspect was one kilo of shabu worth P6.8 million.

The buy-bust money was also recovered from Alcala.

The Alcala Drug Group is among the most prominent drug syndicates operating in the Calabarzon region and where Cruz also previously served as Laguna police director.

Before his appointment to the PAOCC by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., last January 4, 2023,

Cruz had also served as commandant of the PNP Academy, his alma mater, and as a member of the Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB) under President Rodrigo Duterte.

In can be recalled that the PAOCC was also instrumental in the arrest of racehorse owner, Edward ‘Don Edong’ Diokno last February 13, 2023 (see Pinoy Exposé, February 14, 2023) and the successful foiling of a bombing attack in Zamboanga City by the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) with the arrest of one of its members last February 17, 2023 (see also Pinoy Exposé, February 18, 2023).