The military announced on 6 October that a combined force of the AFP's 2nd Infantry Division and the Philippine National Police arrested top officials of the Communist Party of the Philippines. Colonel Generoso Bolina, AFP Southern Luzon Command spokesman, mistakenly identified Panesa as Benjamin Mendoza, purportedly the Secretary of the Southern Tagalog Regional Committee of the CPP, and a member of the CPP’s Central Committee. News reports also claimed that Panesa's wife was a member of the Executive Committee of the CPP's Southern Tagalog regional party committee.
Inianunsyo ng militar noong Oktubre 6 na naaresto ng magkasanib na pwersa ng 2nd Infantry Division ng AFP at ng Philippine National Police ang matataas na upisyal ng Partido Komunista ng Pilipinas. Bulaang tinukoy ni Colonel Generoso Bolina, tagapagsalita ng Southern Luzon Command ng AFP si Panesa bilang si Benjamin Mendoza, diumano'y Kalihim ng Panrehiyong Komite ng Partido Komunista ng Pilipinas sa Southern Tagalog, at kagawad ng Komite Sentral ng PKP. Ipinangalandakan din sa mga ulat sa midya na ang asawa ni Panesa ay kagawad ng Komiteng Tagapagpaganap ng panrehiyong komite ng PKP sa Southern Tagalog.