Security forces were hunting down a group of former communist rebels who stormed an army post and ransacked its arsenal in Bukidnon province in southern Philippines.
The 4th Infantry Division launched an operation to pursue Commander Alde Salusad alias Ka Butchoy, who is the leader of the raiders, following a daring assault on a military patrol base in Kibungkog village in San Fernando town.
Two other pro-government militias who connived by Salusad’s group is also being hunted down. There were no casualties in the raid, but Salusad’s group caught militias and soldiers by surprise when they attack the army base.
According to the army, Salusad’s group carted at least 14 automatic rifles and radio communication sets, including military uniforms, backpacks and cell phones, among other things.
In 2015, members of the Jesus Miracle Crusade International Ministry (JMCIM) led by Brother Danny Cuarteros went to the mountain hideout of Salusad – who put up his own armed group called the New Indigenous People’s Army Reform – in a daring religious mission and convinced him and about a dozen other followers, including his father, Benjamin, to embrace God.
The JMCIM is one of the largest and most successful apostolic churches based in the Philippines with millions of followers in the country alone. It has stations also in the United States and other parts of the world.
Cuarteros said they travelled to the province and trekked the mountains for nearly 7 hours to convince Salusad’s group to “surrender to the will of the Lord and embrace his teachings and eventually ended being baptized by the JMCIM.”
“And we did, we were able to convince the group of Ka Alde through the power of God and his words to surrender and embrace God in their lives. It was very moving, it’s so emotional and in the end, God is victorious,” he told the regional newspaper Mindanao Examiner.
He said not only Salusad and his followers accepted and embraced God; they also donated a parcel of land for the JMCIM so it can put up a chapel in the heart of NIPAR’s stronghold in the town.
According to Cuarteros, Salusad also told village leaders to play worship songs every morning to remind them of God and the glorious mission of JMCIM. “That journey of faith and mission from God has become one of my most unforgettable experiences and it is a mission of peace,” Cuarteros said. “Ka Alde and his group accepted Jesus Christ as his Lord and Saviour and they wanted to start a new life through the JMCIM.”
Members of the Jesus Miracle Crusade International Ministry (JMCIM) led by Brother Danny Cuarteros with Commander Alde Salusad alias Ka Butchoy, leader of the New Indigenous People’s Army Reform in this undated photo from the religious group.
Cuarteros’ group recently met with Salusad and his group who even allowed a JMCIM photographer to take pictures with President Rodrigo Duterte’s signature fist pose.
Salusad, who is also being hunted by the now rival group NPA, has reportedly wanted to be part of the government’s militia force Civilian Armed Force Geographical Unit, to protect communities from lawless elements in the province.
It was unknown what triggered Salusad’s group to attack the military base.
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