MANOLO FORTICH, Bukidnon, April 26 --Government troops thwarted the New People’s Army (NPA) rebels’ attempt to blow up private construction companies, civilians, and military targets to celebrate the National Democratic Front’s 48th Anniversary on April 24.
Lieutenant Colonel Versicio San Jose Jr, commander of the army’s 1st Special Forces Battalion (1SFBn) said a rebel fighter was killed Friday, 16 April, after a clash with 50 heavily armed terrorists around 5:20 p.m. at the NPA’s hideout in Sitio Tun-ogan, Brgy Lilingayon, Valencia City.
He said the NPA terrorists under Sub-Regional Command 4, North Central Mindanao Regional Committee combined their forces earlier and holed up in the jungles of Kalatungan mountain range to launch a large-scale attack.
In response to the residents’ reports about the rebels’ destructive plot, Lt. Col. San Jose said the Special Forces immediately launched an assault at sundown that killed a communist cadre and wounded several rebel warriors.
Reports said the firefight lasted more than an hour completing the government troops’ mission of invading the enemy’s hideout.
The army’s elite forces also recovered a high-powered firearm; vast cache of ammunition; improvised explosive devices; and documents proving their plans to overthrow the government and destroy lives.
The cadaver of the slain NPA rebel identified as Jenelyn Cabasag alias “Maxine, Margo or Batman“ was turned over by the 1SFBn to officials of Barangay Lilingayon, Valencia City—ushered by her parents who stood quietly while the troops set the body down. Cabasag’s mother revealed that Jenelyn had been longing to be home and surrender to authorities so she could live peacefully with her child. “But her husband who is an active NPA fighter made it impossible for her to leave the group. My daughter is a victim of the NPA’s rotten ideology,” Jenelyn’s grieving mother said in dialect.
Lt. Col. San Jose, meanwhile, urged the communist terror group members to weigh up the options, through peace and development programs, offered by the government and think of leaving the armed struggle while there is still time to reunite with their families.
"I encourage the NPA to abandon its twisted and violent communist ideology and peacefully surrender to avail of the socio-economic programs of the government. But for those NPA terrorists who refuse to heed the government's call to lay down their arms, the 1st Special Forces Battalion will be relentless and aggressive in the fight to end the communist NPA violence. We will hunt them down until the last communist terrorist NPA element is neutralized and prevented from waging violence against the innocent civilians and to the legitimate government," he said.
Brigadier General Ferdinand Barandon, commander of the army’s 403rd Infantry Brigade, 4ID, in a statement said, “We have before us an ordeal of the most grievous kind. After decades of struggle and suffering of our people, we are finally cracking down on the NPA Terrorists. Our best efforts are at ending this armed conflict to give way to the peace and development of Bukidnon. We thank profusely the concerned civilians of Valencia City who gave valuable information that led to the thwarting of the attack of these monsters. The ever-increasing support from communities and local government units ensures the inevitable defeat of communist armed conflict.”
He emphasized that the government’s victory is within reach as he explained that the outstanding courage and determination of the Philippine Army’s ‘Silent Professionals’ with extreme risk of life above and beyond the call duty is a perfect example of the Philippine Army's mandate to serve the people and protect the land against the violence and exploitation of NPA terrorists in Bukidnon. (JAPM, CMO, 1SFBn, 403Bde, 4ID, PA/PIA Bukidnon)
Source: Philippines Information Agency (pia.gov.ph)
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