Cagayan de Oro City | June 6, 2025
A high-ranking official of the Communist Terrorist Group (CTG), long wanted for a string of criminal charges, was arrested in a joint military and police operation on Wednesday, June 5, in Barangay Indahag, Cagayan de Oro City.
The suspect, identified as Edward J. Flores—also known by the aliases “Cess,” “Ruby,” “Rafa,” and “Ramon”—was apprehended around 3:00 p.m. at Block #3, Lot 1, House #3, Habitat Phase 2, in a coordinated effort led by the Philippine Army’s 6th Infantry (Kampilan) Division and 4th Infantry (Diamond) Division, together with the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) units from Regions 10, 11, and 12.
Flores was the Secretary of the Far South Mindanao Region (FSMR), a CTG stronghold that has been considerably weakened due to sustained military operations. He also previously served as the Regional Urban Committee Secretary, Secretary of the dismantled Guerilla Front TALA, and spokesperson of FSMR—all critical positions in the CPP-NPA-NDF’s effort to destabilize local governance and derail peacebuilding initiatives.
Authorities said Flores is facing multiple criminal charges, including:
- Murder (Criminal Case No. 25602) under Article 248 of the Revised Penal Code at RTC Branch 1, Tagum City, Davao del Norte
- Multiple Attempted Homicide (Case No. 3310-3023-LS) at RTC Branch 6, Surallah, South Cotabato
- Murder (Case No. 24-8189-SNA) at RTC Branch 19, Isulan, Sultan Kudarat
- Violation of the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020 (Case No. 24-29291) also at RTC Branch 19, Isulan, Sultan Kudarat
During the arrest, authorities recovered a Colt .45 caliber pistol, a fragmentation grenade, and a smartphone believed to contain sensitive information relevant to CTG activities.
Brigadier General Michael A. Santos, Commander of the 603rd Infantry Brigade, underscored the significance of the arrest.
“The arrest of Edward Flores marks another critical blow to the already crumbling structure of the communist insurgency within our area of responsibility. He has been instrumental in recruiting vulnerable youth into armed rebellion and orchestrating terrorist acts,” Brig. Gen. Santos said.
Major General Donald M. Gumiran, Commander of the 6th Infantry Division and Joint Task Force Central, emphasized the continued progress in the fight against communist insurgency in Mindanao.
“We are committed to dismantling these terrorist networks and removing their capacity to harm our people. With strong support from the civilian sector and local stakeholders under TF-ELCAC, we will not rest until this decades-old conflict is brought to a close,” said Maj. Gen. Gumiran.
The Armed Forces reiterated their commitment to intensifying operations against remaining CTG elements. The arrest of Flores is seen as a significant step in disrupting the group’s leadership structure and accelerating efforts toward lasting peace in conflict-affected areas of Mindanao.