Manolo Fortich, Bukidnon – Eight (8) regular NPA members of Platun IPAD of Sub Regional Command 5, North Central Mindanao Regional Committee surrendered to 1st Special Forces Battalion (1SFB) on January 03, 2023. 1SFB acted on the revelations of the surrenderors that resulted in the capture of seven (7) high powered firearms on the next day.
The neutralization thru surrender of these former rebels was the outcome precise intelligence operations, relentless physical pressure and deep psychological operations of CAPTAIN GENESIS B GUTIERREZ, Company Commander of 2nd Special Forces Company and CAPTAIN MARIO ANTON BALARAM S TAMAYO, Company Commander of 3rd Special Forces Company.
On January 4, 2023, three (3) Special Forces Teams under CPT TAMAYO acted on the revelations of these surrendered communist terrorists. The teams raided two (2) enemy hideouts at KM24, Brgy. Tikalaan, Talakag, Bukidnon that resulted in the captured of four (4) high powered firearms: one (1) Rifle, 7.62mm M14, three (3) Assault Rifles 7.62mm AK 47s; IED, Magazine Assembly, ammunition, electric wires, and assorted medical supplies. On the same day, Special Forces Team led by CAPTAIN GUTIERREZ unearthed three (3) high powered firearms with ammunition and subversive documents at Sitio Salsalan, Brgy. Miarayon, Talakag, Bukidnon.
LIEUTENANT COLONEL ROGER ANTHONY E NUYLAN JR, Battalion Commander of the 1SFB, welcomed the eight (8) former rebels who surrendered and said, “You made the right decision to abandon the communist ideology and to peacefully surrender to the AFP. We are ready to assist you in availing the socio-economic programs and livelihood assistance prepared by the government. Moreover, it has been our mandate to decisively neutralize the remaining elements of communist terrorists in our area of operations. Hence, we advise you to encourage your former comrades, who are still blindly fighting against the government, to peacefully surrender. Otherwise, we will relentlessly hunt them down.”
COLONEL TED B DUMOSMOG, Acting Commander of the 403rd Infantry Brigade, 4th Infantry Division gratefully received the 8 former rebels for choosing to seek refuge in the government. He stated, “These rebels have finally realized that they have been fighting meaninglessly for a hopeless cause which only brought them worthless sacrifice and bloodshed to the lives of the innocent civilians caught in crossfires. We will help them start new lives and protect them in every way we can from the hypocritical leaders preaching the poisons of communist ideology.”
The former rebels have undergone custodial debriefing and legal processing of their documents as initial steps to formally welcome them into the folds of the government.
The 1SFB remains steadfast in its thrust as liberators of the oppressed and champions of peace. The unit believes that it is everyone’s duty to take an active role in denouncing and fighting communist terrorists. It further emphasized the need to take a Whole-of-Nation approach enjoining every sector of the society to unite and fight the insurgency that continues to spread in communities.
