MANOLO FORTICH, Bukidnon (PIA)--Four members of Platoon IPAD, Sub-Regional Command 5, North Central Mindanao Regional Committee (NCMRC) surrendered to the First Special Forces Battalion (1SFB), January 23, along with two M16A1 assault rifles and two AK47 assault rifles.
The successful surrender of said rebels was due to a series of precise special operations carried out by the 1st Special Forces Battalion (1SFB), which led to information on the locations of enemy arms caches.
Armed with vital information, the intelligence team of the 3rd Special Forces Company conducted an operation that led to the discovery of an enemy arms cache containing an M16A1 assault rifle, twenty long magazine assemblies, and rounds of ammunition at Sitio Salsalan, Miarayon, Talakag, Bukidnon.
In a follow-up operation the next morning, two AK-47 assault rifles, an M16A1 assault rifle, and five short magazine assemblies were found in another weapons cache.
With the successful retrieval of firearms, 1SFB Battalion Commander Lt. Col. Roger Anthony Nuylan, Jr. thanked the former rebels for the valuable information they shared, which led to the recovery of said weapons.
"I encourage them to convince their former comrades to surrender peacefully and join the government in promoting peace in their respective communities. The government has programs for surrenderees, and they can apply for jobs through their local governments," Nuylan said.
Col. Michele B. Anayron, Jr., commander of the 403rd Infantry Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, said that the Communist Terrorist Groups-NPA (CTG-NPA) Platoon IPAD, SRC-5, and NCMRC had been linked in the planning and execution of violent attacks on private construction companies that are in charge of road construction projects; killings of some personnel of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, Philippine National Police, and Citizen Armed Force Geographical Unit; and murder of "unsupportive" local chief executives and civilians.
"The neutralization of members of the three CTG-NPA groups is a decisive phase in the inevitable collapse of the CTG in Bukidnon. We are very optimistic about dismantling the remaining guerrilla fronts in the area of operation and declaring the whole of Bukidnon as insurgency-free. We will intensify our efforts to end this armed conflict. With this commitment, we are counting on the full support of the local government and the community to ultimately achieve peace and prosperity this 2023," Anayron said.
The success of the operations is due to the 1st Special Forces "Hunter Killer" Battalion's relentless, fierce, and deadly combat and intelligence operations. (1SFB-4ID/PIA-10/Bukidnon)
