Four New People’s Army (NPA) rebels believed to be on a mission to collect revolutionary taxes were arrested in General Trias, Cavite before dawn on Monday, authorities reported.

The Cavite Provincial Police Office identified the four as George Bruce, 33, from Lemery, Batangas; Armando Matres, 38, of Lipa City, Batangas; Jose Nayve, 53, of GMA, Cavite; and Romel Nuñez, 30, of Dasmariñas City, Cavite.

The four were believed to be members of the Bagong Hukbong Makabayan movement.

According to police reports, one of the four suspects blew up a manhole along Barangay Javalera using an improvised explosive device (IED).

The suspects fled the scene aboard a Nissan Urvan (ZFD 262) but they were chased by PO1 Jonathan Dinglasan who happened to be in the area when the bombing transpired.

Dinglasan chased the suspects aboard his private vehicle and asked the police community precinct in Barangay Manggahan for reinforcement.

Responding policemen then blocked off the road, forcing the suspects to abandon their vehicle. They darted toward a grassy area where they were collared by authorities.

Police recovered a .45 caliber pistol, live ammunition, four magazines, a loaded 9mm pistol, two pieces of blasting caps, one detonator switch and manual, batteries and cable wires, mobile phones, an “extortion” letter addressed to a certain “Aling Adeling”, and other subversive documents from the suspects’ van.