A group of human rights activists condemned on Tuesday the recent arrest of four women advocates tagged by police and the military as alleged members of the New People's Army (NPA). Edzel Emocling, 23, a member of the League of Filipino Students-Polytechnic University of the Philipines (LFS-PUP); Yolanda Diamsay Ortiz, 46, and Eulalia Ladesma, 44, of Anakpawis and Gabriela Women's Party respectively; and Rachel Galario, 20, a peasant advocate, were nabbed by members of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) and the 7th Infantry Division of the Philippine Army in Sitio Bangkusay, Barangay Talabutab Norte, Natividad, Nueva Ecija last Saturday. Both the police and military said in their reports that the suspects were members of the NPA and engaged in recruitment, propaganda, and extortion activities in the community. Authorities said they were armed with guns when arrested while a cache of firearms were allegedly confiscated from the four. However, Karapatan Alliance for the People's Rights said the four are members of various progressive groups, not the NPA. "Karapatan strongly condemns the illegal arrest, detention and torture undergone by the four women human rights defenders in Nueva Ecija. This is indefensible. This is precisely what happens when you have security forces that have no respect for human rights," said Karapatan Secretary General Cristina Palabay. "We call for the immediate release of Ortiz, Ladesma, Amocling and Galario. We condemn this continuing spate of attacks against activists and rights defenders," she added. Earlier, Director General Oscar Albayalde, Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief, said the arrest of Emocling and others only proved that some individuals, particularly students, have already been "brainwashed" by the communist rebels to join them in destabilizing the government. "Wala akong kopya ng report. Nabasa ko lang sa report, sa Viber group. I really don't know the details but this goes to show that accordingly, parang nabe-brainwash nga ng mga leftist groups yung mga estudyante (I have no copy of the report. I have just read[a copy of the] report in[our] Viber group. I really don't know the details but this goes to show that accordingly, it seems the students are already being brainwashed by leftist groups)," said the PNP Chief. Even though the military revealed that the Red October, an alleged ouster plot against President Duterte, has already been dissolved, top police and military officials said the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP-NPA) still continue to recruit members.