Interior Secretary Eduardo Año on Friday said some Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) personalities included in Anti-Terrorism Council list were subjects of manhunt operation for crimes they allegedly committed.

In a radio interview, Año said most of the 19 CPP leaders and members in the list have existing warrants of arrest.

"Some are not only under investigation (while) we are tracking some of them like the couple, Benito and Wilma Tiamzon (and) Tirso Alcantara. They were released so participate in the peace talks but it was already cancelled and they run away to the mountains," he said.

Año said the Tiamzon couple were convicted for kidnapping while some have jumped bail and hiding as they are members of the Central Committee of CPP-NPA.

Año said once these individuals are arrested, it is possible that a case for violation of the Anti- Terror Law will be filed against them.

He said these personalities can file a request for delisting at ATC to explain if their inclusion is a case of "mistaken identity or mistaken of facts".

"The effect of being included in the list is their assets might be freeze and an investigation may be conducted by AMLC and they will be included in the hold departure list," the secretary said.

In an interview with reporters, Philippine National Police chief Gen. Guillermo Eleazar said even if they are included in the list the basis of the police to look for them is their existing cases.

"So even if you are included in the list or not, whoever you are, if you have a case we should look for you... Even before they were named, they are already subject of our manhunt," Eleazar said.

"(It) doesn't matter if they are in the list, question is do they have a warrant of arrest," he added.

Last Thursday, ATC formally published their "terrorist list" which included 29 personalities, 19 of which were from the CPP which includes its founder Joma Sison and his wife. Ella Dionisio/DMS