The NPA terrorist groups in Bukidnon consolidated its armed elements in preparation for a large scale attack against private construction companies, civilian targets, and military bases in time with the upcoming NPA Founding Anniversary on March 29, 2021. This was the information shared to the military by concerned civilians in Talakag, Bukidnon who just want a peaceful living in their community.
As the protector of the people and the legitimate instrument of the government to achieve peace, security, and suppression of violence, the 1st Special Forces Battalion under the 403rd Infantry Brigade of the 4th Infantry Division, Philippine Army immediately launched operation to thwart the impending terrorist attack from the combined 70 NPA elements under the Sub-Regional Command 4 and Sub-Regional Command 5 of the CPP-NPA’s North Central Mindanao Regional Committee. On March 21, 2021, 9:40 am, the 1st Special Forces Battalion encountered 70 NPA elements deep in the mountainous guerrilla base of the SRC-4 and SRC-5 in a remote and uninhabited area of Sitio Kimutya, Brgy San Rafael, Talakag, Bukidnon. It was a relentless 4 hours gun-battle until the 1st Special Forces Battalion overran the hideout of the terrorist NPA groups. Two terrorist NPA elements died in the course of the armed confrontation while five high powered firearms and other enemy items were also captured by the government forces. Meanwhile, one member of the Special Forces gave his life in the fight against the terrorist NPA. Another one soldier and one CAFGU Active Auxiliary were wounded in the encounter. The heroic sacrifice and bravery of the government troops are the ultimate symbol of the Philippine Army’s mandate to serve the people and protect the land against the violence and exploitation of the terrorist NPA in Bukidnon.
LTC VERCISIO G SAN JOSE JR INF (GSC) PA, Battalion Commander of the the 1st Special Forces Battalion, said “I encourage the NPA to abandon its twisted and violent communist ideology and peacefully surrender to avail of the socio-economic programs of the government. But for those NPA terrorists who refuse to heed the government’s call to lay down their arms, the 1st Special Forces Battalion will be relentless and aggressive in the fight to end the communist NPA violence. We will hunt them down until the last communist terrorist NPA element is neutralized and prevented from waging violence against the innocent civilians and to the legitimate government.”
BGEN FERDINAND T BARANDON PA, Commander of the 403rd Infantry Brigade, 4ID, PA, also stated that “we will never allow the NPA to wage violence against the civilians and business entities in Bukidnon. What happened during the recent encounter initiated by the 1st Special Forces Battalion against the NPA in Talakag, Bukidnon is a reminder that the NPA will never win against the formidable and legitimate forces of the government. We have just confronted the NPA in a major engagement last February 4, 2021 in Tagoloan 2, Lanao del Sur, and now, we have dealt the NPA with another defeat. Coupled with the ever increasing support and cooperation from the community people and the local government units and agencies, we are winning the fight to end the local communist armed conflict. The NPA leaders and members have the chance to peacefully surrender, or else, they are left with no other option but to face the consequence of their violence and twisted communist ideology.”
The Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-CLIP) of the national government has resulted to a significant influx of NPA surrenderors for the past five years. The NPA in Bukidnon is dwindling in its strength, firearms, and mass bases. It is a matter of time before the NPA face the inevitable moment of its downfall in Bukidnon and in the entire country.
