Saturday, December 21, 2024

Tag: 4th Infantry Division

NPA weapons seized in Bukidnon, Surigao

Posted on by cmn

BUTUAN CITY – The military recovered high-powered firearms in two encounters with the New People’s Army in Bukidnon and Surigao del Sur on April 30 and May 2

Major Francisco P. Garello Jr., chief of the 4th Infantry Division Public Affairs Office (PAO), said the 1st Special Forces Battalion led by Lt. Col. Roger Anthony E. Nuylan Jr. under the 403rd Infantry (Peacemaker) Brigade captured three M16 Armalite rifles, magazines and live ammunition, backpacks, medical kits with assorted medicines, and personal belongings after a gun battle in Cambangon, Barangay Lilingayon, Valencia City, Bukidnon on April 30.

“Out-gunned and out-positioned, the rebels ran away in different directions, dragging along with them their undetermined number of casualties, after a 25-minute fierce firefight,” Garello said.

He said troops are pursuing the fleeing 30 fully armed combined elements of the Platun Ipad and Platun Huawei of the Sub-Regional Committee 5 (SRC5) of the Communist Party of the Philippines-NPA North Central Mindanao Regional Committee (NCMRC) in Cambangon.

Nuylan said they have been pursuing them since last month.

“We have been tracking the same terrorist group we encountered last April 12 in Bubong, Lanao del Sur,” he said.

“They continue evading our troops due to exhaustion with limited ammunition and food supplies. But we will pursue them, we will not give them breathing space until they realize the futility in fighting the government and that the only option left for them is to surrender voluntarily,” Nuylan added.

Two days later on May 2 in Barangay Maitum, Tandag City, Surigao del Sur, the 2nd Scout Ranger Battalion (SRBn) under the operational control of the 901st Infantry Brigade encountered 10 communist guerillas believed to be members of the weakened Guerilla Front 30 of the CPP-NPA Northeastern Mindanao Regional Committee (NEMRC).

Soldiers recovered an AK-47 rifle, a grenade, and assorted personal belongings and supplies after the skirmish.

Troops were responding to reports regarding the presence of NPA rebels in the barangay extorting food supplies and conducting recruitment when the encounter occurred, Brig. Gen. George Banzon, commanding general of the Army 901st Infantry Brigade, said.

No casualty was reported on the government side in the two encounters. (Mike Crismundo/Manila Bulletin)

Army vows strengthened ties with IP communities

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CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY — The 4th Infantry Division (4ID) of the Philippine Army on April 5, 2023, vowed to continue strengthening relations with the indigenous peoples (IP) communities in the Northern Mindanao and Caraga regions

In a statement, MGen. Jose Maria Cuerpo II, 4ID Commander, said part of his leadership includes working closely with IPs to facilitate peace and development in the indigenous cultural communities so they would not get recruited by communist rebels, and prevent their villages from becoming rebel mass bases.

“Let’s re-establish our warm and strong relationship. We are committed to supporting and assisting our IPs in providing lasting solutions to the issues we have discussed,” he said.

With the help of other local government units and line government agencies under the Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (TF-ELCAC), Cuerpo said the issues and concerns of IP will be discussed and eventually resolved.

On April 5, the 4ID addressed concerns from more than 100 IP leaders from the two regions who paid a visit to its headquarters here, which was also facilitated by the National Commission on Indigenous People.

Cuerpo and other 4ID officials held discussions on IPs being enlisted in the Army, the support for the institutionalization of the Indigenous Defense System, additional military detachments in ancestral domains, military reservations, and ancestral land security.

Datu Jimmy Guinsod, the Provincial Indigenous People’s Mandatory Representative of Surigao del Sur province, said the 4ID’s gesture of showing importance to them and giving protection to their ancestral domains were highly commendable.

Bae Anna Jessa Mae Crisostomo, the spokesperson for the Mindanao Indigenous People’s Youth Organization and the National TF-ELCAC Focal Person for IP Concerns, said that by partnering with the 4ID and IP communities, everyone can contribute to ensuring peace and development in ancestral domains.

During the dialogue, Cuerpo was conferred with the title “Datu Uma-angkag,” which means a brave and charismatic warrior, for participating in the event. (Nef Luczon/PNA)