COMBINED elements of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Army and the Philippine National Police (PNP) captured another top leader of the communist New People’s Army (NPA) in the rebel-infested island province of Samar, bringing to three the total number of rebel officials arrested in two weeks.

Capt, Amado Gutierrez, spokesman, 8th Infantry Division (ID), on Friday identified the rebel leader as Edna Montes, head of the Educational Department of the Eastern Samar Provincial Party Committee and concurrent secretary of the Eastern Samar Provincial White Area Committee.