CAMP EVANGELISTA, Cagayan de Oro City – Seven (7) CPP NPA Terrorists (CNTs) were neutralized, while ten (10) high-powered firearms were seized in a series of clash and surrender as troops of the 4th Infantry (Diamond) Division hunt down remaining members of the communist terrorist group (CTG) in Caraga and Northern Mindanao region for the past week.
On Monday, September 11, 2023, troops of the 2nd Scout Ranger Battalion under the operational control of the 901st Infantry Brigade conducted focused military operations in Bgry. Maticdum, Tandag City, Surigao del Sur, which resulted to the death of one (1) CNT identified as Dexter Maca alias Jeric, Member of Platoon 1 of the weakened Guerilla Front 30, of the so-called North Eastern Mindanao Regional Committee (NEMRC) and capture of one (1) Bushmaster Rifle.
On the same day, a clash transpired between troops of the 88th Infantry Battalion and more or less 10 CNTs under the so-called Sub Regional Sentro De Gravidad Peddler, Sub Regional Committee-2 (SRC-2) of the so-called North Central Mindanao Regional Committee (NCMRC) at Sitio Miaray, Brgy. Mandahican, Cabanglasan, Bukidnon resulted in the capture of one (1) AK47 Rifle, one (1) M1 Garand Rifle, and assorted medical paraphernalia.
Meanwhile, six (6) members of the so-called Sandatahang Yunit Pamproganda 21C (SYP21C) of the weakened Guerrilla Front 21 of Sub-Regional Committee West Land (SRC WL) of the so-called North Eastern Mindanao Regional Committee (NEMRC) voluntarily surrendered to the combined troops of the 29th Infantry Battalion and the Cabadbaran City Police Station at the Headquarters, 29IB, P4 Brgy Del Pilar, Cabadbaran City, Agusan del Norte, also on September 11. They brought along with them five (5) high-powered firearms composing of one (1) AK47 Rifle, two (2) AR15 Rifles, one (1) M4 Carbine Rifle, and one (1) M14 Rifle.
It can be recalled that on September 5, an encounter of the troops of the 36th Infantry Battalion against more or less eight (8) CNTs at Sitio Bakakaan, Brgy Bagyang, San Miguel, Surigao del Sur resulted to the seizure of one (1) M16 Rifle, one (1) M14 Rifle, other war materiel, and assorted food supplies and personal belongings.
In a statement, Major General Jose Maria R. Cuerpo II, Commander of 4ID, said that they will further intensify combat and intelligence operations to track and pursue remaining CTG members. He again underscored the support of the local communities to reach out CTG surrenderers and in providing significant information on the location of the CNTs that propelled 4ID successes anew.
“Remaining CTG members must surrender or be hunted down. The only option is if they surrender and ceased to threaten the people and communities, the government shall reward them with various opportunities to start new lives with their families under the E-CLIP. Heed the government’s call for peace, follow the footsteps of your former comrades who are now enjoying the freedom and peace that desperately eluded them for the longest time while inside the terrorist organization,” MGen Cuerpo added.
