CTG member nabbed in Cebu City

| Contributed photo

CEBU CITY, Philippines- An alleged member of the Communist Terrorist Group (CTG) was arrested during the implementation of “Oplan Salikop” by the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group in Central Visayas (CIDG-7) while he was at Plaza sa Katawhan at the Cebu South Coastal Road in Cebu City, on Friday, December 13.

The arrested individual was identified as Marlon Jakosalem alias “Ka Ar-ar,” 30-year-old and a native of Guihulngan in Negros Oriental.

Jakosalem was with his with his common-law partner during his arrest at 9:30 p.m. on Friday.

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His arrest was based on a warrant for double murder issued by Hon. Judge Rosario Carriaga, assisting judge of Regional Trial Court Branch 64 in Guihulngan City, Negros Oriental.

Jakosalem’s crime is non-bailable.

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A tracker team from CIDG Cebu CFU, in coordination with local police units, conducted a manhunt operation targeting wanted CTG members which resulted to his arrest.

The operation was based on actionable intelligence from an agent assigned to the Philippine Air Force’s Lapu-Lapu City base, confirming the presence of wanted CTG members in the area.

Subversive activities

Based on their investigation, Jakosalem was recruited by an individual known as “Ka Jembo” in Guihulngan City, Negros Oriental in 2016. It was during this time that he was reportedly indoctrinated into the CTG and began his affiliation with its subversive activities.

In 2017, Jakosalem was deployed to the mountains of Hinoba-an, Negros Occidental, where he reportedly underwent further training in guerrilla tactics and subversive activities. His presence in the area was consistent with the CTG’s strategic practice of embedding members in remote and inaccessible locations to evade detection by government forces.

Sometime in 2018, intelligence reports indicate that Jakosalem was involved in an armed confrontation with the Philippine Army in Kabankalan, Negros Occidental. This encounter marked his first known engagement with state security forces.

In 2019, after his alleged stint in Kabankalan, Jakosalem returned to his hometown in Guihulngan City, Negros Oriental, where he continued to engage in CTG-related activities. On the same year, he was reportedly deployed to Isabela, Negros Occidental, where he allegedly engaged in another armed encounter with government forces. This pattern of redeployment to multiple areas suggests his possible participation in the group’s tactical offensives in the region.

Squad leader

In 2021, Jakosalem was allegedly promoted to squad leader of Squad 1, Sandatahang Unit Propaganda, Platoon Central Negros 1, KR-CBNS, a position of significant operational and leadership responsibility within the CTG hierarchy. As a squad leader, he reportedly facilitated in the recruitment of new CTG members, employing propaganda and psychological persuasion to attract new members to the underground movement.

It was reported that Jakosalem expressed his intention to defect from the CTG sometime in 2022. This period marked a shift in his alignment with the group, although no formal surrender was reported.

Some in April 2023, intelligence reports indicated that Jakosalem went into hiding in Cebu City.

During his arrest on Friday, Jakosalem was informed of his constitutional rights as mandated by law. He was subsequently brought to the CIDG Cebu office for documentation and temporary detention pending the return of his warrant of arrest to the issuing court.