Manila  - A communist rebel leader accused of directing the guerrillas' extortion activities in the central Philippines has been arrested, a military spokesman said Tuesday.

Eduardo Sarmiento, head of a regional communist party committee in the central region of Visayas, was apprehended on February 24 in Manila.

Brigadier General Guadencio Pangilinan said "high explosives" were seized from Sarmiento during his arrest by a joint team of police officers and army intelligence operatives.

"His location and activities were tipped off by his former comrades who no longer believe in pursuing political aspiration through the armed struggle," he said.

Pangilinan said Sarmiento faces criminal charges for extorting "revolutionary taxes" from businesses and farmers in Visayas.

"We expect more arrests soon in our unrelenting campaign to crush this criminal organization that victimizes helpless businessman and farmers in rural areas by 2010," he added.

Communist rebels have been accused of resorting to extortion to raise funds for the underground movement. They are believed to be earning millions of pesos in their extortion activities.

The guerrillas have been fighting the Philippine government since the late 1960s, making the movement one of the longest-running leftist insurgencies in Asia. (dpa)