BANCASI, Butuan City – The CPP-NPA Terrorists (CNTs) suffered another blow as the Army’s 402nd Infantry (Stingers) Brigade scored anew in an encounter that left an NPA dead in Misamis Oriental and the seizure of NPA hideout in Agusan Sur on March 18 and 19, 2021, respectively.
Thru the efforts of the 58th Infantry (Dimalulupig) Battalion and 26th Infantry (Ever Onward) Battalion, the 402nd Brigade’s operationally controlled battalions, troops continuously pursued and showed its resolve to engage the CNTs in the different parts of the Brigade’s Area of Responsibility.
On March 18, 2021, 58IB troopers encountered more or less thirty (30) CNTs belonging to the Sub-Regional Sentro de Grabidad (SRSDG) MTJ EAGLES at Sitio Mangilit, Brgy Bal-ason, Gingoog City of the said province. The firefight lasted for about twenty-five (25) minutes leaving one (1) male NPA dead who was found abandoned in a ravine identified by his former comrades as the terrorist leader of the said group.
Likewise, troops also seized the following in the encounter site: one (1) M16 Rifle, two (2) magazines for M16 Rifle, four (4) magazines for M14 Rifle, three (3) Rifle Grenades, two (2) backpacks and assorted medicines, personal belongings and subversive documents.
Further, on March 19, 2021, troops of 26IB seized an abandoned NPA hideout that can accommodate about twenty (20) CNTs after days of relentless tracking of the Sandatahang Yunit Pamproganda (SYP) Platoon and Sentro de Grabidad (SDG) Banglas of Guerilla Front (GF) 88 under the North Central Mindanao Regional Committee (NCMRC) at Sitio Paningaon, Brgy Binicalan, San Luis, Agusan del Sur.
While scouring the hideout, troops discovered and seized the following items: one (1) military backpack with t-shirt and jogging pants; two (2) keypad cellular phone (unserviceable); one (1) clip of Cal .30 M1 Garand Rifle (without ammunition); one (1) gallon Wilkins bottle filled with rice; one (1) makeshift hut made of laminated sack; one (1) Army towel and one (1) battery for motorcycle.
It can also be recalled that on March 01, 2021, around 4:35 in the afternoon, one (1) section composed of 58IB and 42DRC encountered more or less thirty (30) CNTs belonging to the elements of Platoon Falcon, GF Huawei, Sub-Regional Committee (SRC) 1 of the NCMRC at Sitio Kibuntod, Brgy Mantangale, Balingoan, MisOr that resulted to the death of one (1) female CNT identified later as certain Langging Cabuta Serenio alias Mitang/Mitz and the seizure of two (2) M16 Rifles.
In his statement, Brigadier General Maurito L Licudine, Commander of the 402nd Brigade, said that “We will show the NPAs the futility of their armed struggle. If they will not heed our call to voluntary surrender and lay down their firearms, we will use all available resources to stop their atrocities for wanton disregard of human rights. With the people’s support thru the convergence of ELCAC, I can say that the CTG’s defeat is inevitable leading to their collapse and eventually making them irrelevant”.
Since January of this year, the government troops under this Brigade initiated a total of eight (8) encounters against the CNTs that resulted to the following: twelve (12) CNT hideouts seized; disposal of three (3) Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) eighteen (18) firearms recovered; and eight (8) CNTs killed or captured with no casualty on the government side.
BGen Licudine stressed that the CTG is already on the brink of its collapse and gradually becoming irrelevant as the people are no longer supporting their lost cause. Then, he offered his salute to his soldiers for the STEAD efforts in contributing to end the local communist armed conflict in the Brigade AOR.
He said “These efforts are the fruits of the sacrifices of our soldiers in the frontlines. They endure hardships and even sometimes offer the supreme sacrifice in order to give our people, whom we have sworn to protect, a comfortable and peaceful life. Hence, we call on the CNTs to lay down their arms and stop the violence. Let us give PEACE a chance. After all, we are all Filipinos”.
