CAMP EVANGELISTA, Cagayan de Oro City – In a significant development in the ongoing efforts to maintain peace and security in the province of Bukidnon and Agusan del Sur, the 4th Infantry (Diamond) Division neutralized another CPP-NPA Terrorist (CNT) anew and captured eight (8) firearms in two (2) recent focused military operations on September 22 and 24, 2023.
Troops of the 26th Infantry Battalion led by Lt. Col. Sandy Majarocon, under the operational control of the 403rd Infantry Brigade clashed with more or less five (5) CNTs in Brgy. Guibonon, Esperanza, Agusan del Sur on Sept. 24, which resulted to the capture of one (1) M16 Rifle and the death of one (1) CNT identified as Madagi Tumanan, male and a resident of Brgy. Eureka, Gingoog City, Misamis Oriental.
“The remains, upon extrication, will be turned-over to the PNP and eventually to the nearest funeral homes in Gingoog City. We will reach out to the family so that the dead CNT will have decent burial. We remain committed to the respect of human rights and highly value the sacredness of a body of human being, contrary to the communist terrorist group’s (CTG’s) criminal actions in abandoning their dead comrade as if it’s nothing after using and pushing him to his grave,” Lt. Col. Majarocon stressed.
Meanwhile, on September 22, troops of the 8th Infantry Battalion under Lt. Col. Anthony Bacus, the Commanding Officer, also under the operational control of the 403rd Brigade, have captured two (2) firearms after an encounter against more or less seven (7) CNTs at Sitio Kamaca, Brgy. Bontongon, Impasug-ong, Bukidnon, and an additional four (4) firearms seized after a thorough search and clearing resulted in the discovery of an arms cache at the nearby creek of said encounter site.
Lt. Col. Bacus stated that residents have reported the presence of said group at the hinterland area of said Brgy since last week, and thus poured in more troops to relentlessly tailed their tracks. “We wanted this criminal group to realize the futility of using violence as a means to advance an agenda. Your soldiers in Bukidnon won’t stop until the CTG criminals will yield and give our people a community free from threat and chaos”, He said.
Captured items during the encounter includes one (1) M1 Garand Rifle and one (1) Caliber 45 pistol, magazines with ammunitions, Anti-Personnel Mine (APM) with Fuse and Detonating Cord, and other war materiel while seized from the arms cache are one (1) M16 Rifle, one (1) M203 Grenade Launcher, one (1) Cal .30 M1 Garand Rifle and one (1) Cal .22 Semi-Automatic Pistol.
403rd Brigade Commander BGen. Michele B. Anayron Jr. said that they are going after the remaining members of the so-called North Central Mindanao Regional Committee (NCRMC), responsible for numerous acts of violence and extortion to the communities, which poses a significant threat to the peace and stability in Bukidnon and Misamis Oriental. In addition, they also coordinated with other government agencies and the local government unit in Agusan del Sur and Misamis Oriental for some assistance to his family.
In a statement, Major General Jose Maria R. Cuerpo II, Commander of 4ID, underscored the relentless efforts of the Diamond troopers that continue to yield positive results, contributing to the government’s broader agenda of achieving lasting peace and development in the two regions of Northern Mindanao and Caraga. He added that the 4ID will remain resolute in its vow to neutralize the CTG criminals by reducing their capabilities, disrupt their networks, and prevent their resurgence to communities.
“We in the 4ID continue to encourage our fellow Filipinos to support our intensified efforts together with our partner agencies under the Task Force to end local communist armed conflict in order to maintain peace and security in the regions. With this, we reaffirm our resolve to combat criminalities and insurgency, ensuring that the people can live free from fear and in an environment conducive to growth and prosperity,” Maj. Gen. Cuerpo added.
