In 1994, he was appointed as the Spokesperson of the Communist Party of the Philippines while serving as the concurrent Party secretary of the Banahaw-Sierra Madre Guerilla Front Party Committee. Ka Roger was a paragon of an eminent people’s soldier: a fearless warrior, a resilient organizer and a compelling propagandist rolled up into one. Ka Roger’s humor and appositeness to the feelings and concerns of the masses were his best strong point during mass work. Furthermore, his sharp analysis on the burning issues of the day and use of language in a way understandable to ordinary people—the common readers and listeners—were among the qualities that the masses admired about Ka Roger.
Noong 1973, nahuli siya ng mga pasista at ikinulong sa Canlubang Detention Center sa Camp Vicente Lim. Makalipas ang ilang panahon sa kulungan, kasama siya sa mga tumakas na noon ay tinagurian the "Great Escape" at nakilala ang kanilang grupo bilang Papillion squad, na hinalaw mula sa tunay na kwento ng isang prisonerong Pranses na nagtataglay ng di masusupil na diwa at di karaniwang determinasyon na palayain ang sarili mula sa malupit at makahayop na piitan ng gubyernong Pranses. Kauna-unahan ito sa kasaysayan na may nakatakas sa isang detention cell na mahigpit na nababantayan.