MANOLO FORTICH, Bukidnon – On January 8, 2023, former CTG members of Platun Ipad, Sub Regional Command 5, North Central Mindanao Regional Committee revealed to the 1st Special Forces Battalion the location of an enemy hideout where they hid an arms cache with six (6) high-powered firearms.
The former rebels reached out to Mayor Miguel A Silva Jr of Pangantucan, Bukidnon. Mayor Silva facilitated their surrender to 1SFB last January 3, 2023. The combined intelligence and psychological operations of the 1st Special Forces Battalion and the help of the said surrenderors led to the discovery of another arms cache with one (1) M14 Rifle, three (2) M16 Rifles, one (1) AK 47 Rifle, one (1) RPG Launcher, one (1) M653 Carbine, ammunitions, magazine assembly, IED switches, binocular, and handheld radio yesterday, Sunday, January 8, 2023.
As a form of immediate assistance, the AFP extended cash assistance to the former rebels while undergoing custodial debriefing and processing of their
documents. The 1st Special Forces Battalion has been assisting them to avail the benefits under the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-CLIP).
LIEUTENANT COLONEL ROGER ANTHONY E NUYLAN JR, Battalion Commander of the 1SFB, thanked the former rebels for their cooperation. He advised them to encourage their former comrades to peacefully surrender and avail the socio economic programs and livelihood assistance prepared by the government.
COLONEL TED B DUMOSMOG, Acting Commander of the 403rd Infantry Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, issued his statement, “Our efforts to end the armed conflict in Bukidnon continue. We expect that this will help sustain the peace and development we have thus far achieved in Bukidnon. We profusely thank these former rebels who gave valuable information that led to the capture of these High-Powered Firearms. The ever-increasing support from communities and local government units ensures the inevitable defeat of communist armed conflict. I believe that the armed struggle of the CTG is nearing its end.”
In this past week, the intensified intelligence operations of the 1SFB resulted in the mass surrender of 8 CTG members and the capture of a total of 13 HPFAs. 1SFB will be relentless in its pursuit of the remaining members of the Platoon IPAD unit of the NPA/CTG as we encourage them to surrender to join and unite with the government in its quest for peace and development and prosperity in the communities.
