CAMP EVANGELISTA, Cagayan de Oro City – The 4th Infantry (Diamond) Division reported the successful neutralization of 40 CPP-NPA Terrorists (CNTs) and the seizure of 85 firearms during the 3rd Quarter Campaign Progress Review and Assessment (CPRA) and Command Conference on October 18, 2023, at the Alcoseba Hall, Headquarters of 4ID, Camp Evangelista, Patag, Cagayan de Oro City.
4ID Commander Major General Jose Maria R. Cuerpo II presided over the activity, which was attended by 4ID key officers, Brigade and Battalion Commanders, along with other Officers from the different units and offices under the Joint Task Force Diamond (JTFD) through face-to-face and some through video-teleconferencing (VTC).
Through its aggressive joint and combined focused military operations from July to September this year, 4ID neutralized 40 CNTs, of which eight (8) have died during encounter, and 32 surrendered. While, a total of 85 firearms composed of 75 high-powered and 10 low-powered firearms were also captured by 4ID troops. Most notable of these accomplishments was the neutralization of top communist terrorist group (CTG) leader Dionisio “Muling” Micabalo, the Secretary of NCMRC, during the encounter with 4ID troops on July 26, 2023 in Gingoog City, Misamis Oriental.
The neutralization of top leadership and successive blows resulted in an irreversible downtrend of manpower and firepower of CTG since the start of the campaign this year, leading to a leadership vacuum and continuous survival mode which will result in the dismantling of three (3) remaining so called guerilla fronts under the North Eastern Mindanao regional Committee (NEMRC) in Caraga region within this year. This also made CTG’s attempted recovery effort futile and even continued to experience isolation and lack of civilian support.
MGen Cuerpo II set forth his command guidance to channel all units’ strengths and capabilities toward achieving specific objectives against CTG in their respective areas of operations. “Again, I call on our commanders to focus all your energy and talents on accomplishing targeted NPA formations in a given time provided to us by the higher headquarters. Increase the operational tempo and support to operating troops. And to the Commanders, especially our cutting-edge units, the brigades and the battalions and the companies, to aggressively look for the enemy,” He said.
Further, MGen Cuerpo II emphasized the importance of remaining apolitical in the upcoming Barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan Elections (BSKE) 2023. “I’m reminding all the Commanders, stay apolitical, don’t get involved in politics. We are friends to everybody, let’s not choose who we are friends with, we are friends to all. When political things come, let’s not gamble our organizational impression or organizational faith over personal ambition. Let’s focus on shielding the organization from political influences that are not supposed to be influencing us,” He added.
