PATAY ang isang kasapi ng Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army, habang apat na matataas na kalibre ng baril ang nasamsam ng mga tauhan ng militar sa bakbakan sa Caraga Region.

Ayon sa ulat ng Philippine Army 4th Infantry Division sa tanggapan ni Army Commanding General Lt. Gen. Roy Galido, naglunsad ang mga tauhan mula sa 26th Infantry Battalion, na nasa ilalim ng 403rd Infantry Brigade, ng focus military offensives na nagresulta sa pagkamatay ng hindi pinangalanang CPP-NPA Terrorist (CNT) at pagkakasamsam ng isang Bushmaster M4 Rifle, assorted CTG war materiel at personal belongings.

Sa ulat ng Army 4th ID, nakasagupa ng kanilang mga tauhan ang 50 CNTs na pinaniniwalaang nasa ilalim ng CTG’s Headquarters Force NEO at Regional Sentro De Gravidad (RSDG) Compaq, na kaalyado ng tinatawag nilang North Central Mindanao Regional Committee (NCMRC), sa Sitio Tamyang, Brgy. Binicalan, San Luis, Agusan del Sur.

Nauna rito, tatlo pang high-powered firearms ang isinuko at nakuha sa iba’t ibang arms caches sa Caraga region nitong nakalipas na linggo, na kinabibilangan ng M16 rifle with magazines, ammunitions, at war materiel.

Nakuha ito sa mula arms cache ng CTG sa Mt. Banahaw at Mt. Linintian, Brgy. La Purisima, Prosperidad, Agusan del Sur.

Natunton ito matapos na sumuko si Marson Esteban Barela, alyas “Babu/Bobong”, na isang CNT squad leader ng nabuwag na Guerilla Front 19, na nasa ilalim ng Northeastern Mindanao Regional Committee (NEMRC), sa tropa ng 3rd Special Forces Battalion ng Army 401st Brigade.

Samantala, isang CPP-NPA Kadre rin ang sumuko sa Army 23rd Infantry Battalion na nasa ilalim ng operational control ng 402nd Infantry Brigade sa Brgy. Alubijid, Buenavista, Agusan del Norte, bitbit ang kanyang AK47 rifle with magazines and ammunition.

Nabawi naman ng Mobile Community Support and Sustainment Team (MCSST) ng 8th Infantry Battalion Alpha Company, katuwang ang 26th Infantry Battalion ang isang (1) M60 Light Machine Gun and ammunition sa Sitio Paningaon, Brgy. Mahagsay, San Luis, Agusan del Sur, matapos na ituro ng isang Jun Almahan at anak nitong si Cesar Almahan, kapwa mga dating NPA.

“Our successes will, once again, dampen the morale of the remaining CTG members and leaders, causing turmoil within their ranks. As we intensify our efforts to defeat this criminal group, we anticipate more surrenders as they are now concerned about their future and constantly evading government troops,” ayon kay Major General Jose Maria R. Cuerpo II, Commander ng 4ID.

“Hence, we reiterate our call to the remaining members of the CTG to abandon violence and stop fighting before it’s too late. We assure them that their lives will change and transform when they surrender under the government’s enhanced compressive local integration program,” dagdag pa ni MGen. Cuerpo. (JESSE KABEL RUIZ)