CAMP CAPINPIN, TANAY, RIZAL – Patay ang commander ng Southern Tagalog Party Committee ng New People’s Army (NPA) makaraang makipagsagupa sa pinagsanib na puwersa ng Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) at Philippine National Police (PNP) sa Sitio Boho, Brgy. San Antonio, Kalayaan, Laguna dakong alas-11:00 ng gabi noong Biyernes.
Kinilala ni Lt. Col. Jesus Diocton, commanding officer ng 1st Infantry Battalion, ang napatay na si Mario Caraig alyas Jethro.
Nakuha sa rebelde ang .45 caliber pisto, 9mm Pistol, dalawang granada at mga dokumento.
Ayon kay Brig. Gen. Alex Rillera, commander ng 202nd Infantry Brigade, ang pagkamatay ni alyas Jethro “is a welcome development to the ranks of the IPs because it meant one less terrorist whose primary role is to torment and exploit their fundamental rights,” ani Rillera.
Si Caraig ay nag-o-operate sa mga probinsya ng Batangas at Cavite bilang Guerilla Front Honda na nagkawatak-watak noong 2018 at nagtago sa kabundukan ng Sierra Madre dahil sa walang tigil na kampanya ng 202nd Brigade sa lugar.
Sinabi naman ni Maj. Gen. Arnulfo Marcelo Burgos Jr., commander ng 2nd Infantry Division ng Philippine Army, “although we do not rejoice in killing our fellow Filipinos, their liberation from
Jethro’s terroristic actions and cruelty is the best gift which RTF-ELCAC (Regional Task Force to end Local Communist Armed Conflict) can give to our Indigenous People as they commemorate their ‘internationally-recognize day’ on Agosto 9”.
Binabati niya ang AFP at PNP “for the close collaboration and coordination that led to this tactical victory while urging them to keep our partnership iron-clad so that peace will finally be won and
prosperity will finally be our constituents’ way of life”.
Matatandaaan, noong Agosto 4, nakasagupaang tropa ng AFP at PNP Regional Mobile Force 4-A ang halos 40 NPA sa Sitio Balat Kahoy, Brgy. San Antonio, Kalayaan, Laguna at hinihininalang
nasugatan si Caraig habang napatay ang kanilang kasamang si alyas Termo na siyang commander ng Main Regional Guerilla Unit ng New People’s Army sa Timog Katagalugan, na kinatatakutan ng Indigenous people dahil sa pagpilit sa mga Dumagat Remontados na sumali at suportahan ang kanilang kilusan. (CYRILL QUILO)
324 
