Malaybalay City, February 23, 2020 – Government troops operating in Mt Kalatungan, Southwest Bukidnon confirmed that a New People’s Army (NPA) member was killed during an operation last February 18 following reported terrorist consolidation to execute a tactical offensive targeting civilian compounds and equipment in the area.
NPA then released a statement days later that a certain Renato “Jhonny” Tilucan a.k.a Kidlat / Ilaw was killed during the said operation.
Government troops has to use close air support as the NPA hideouts were surrounded by Ottawa Conventions banned Anti-Personnel Mine (APM) to ensure soldiers cannot penetrate the terrorist lair. “Close air support will detonate these mines so our soldiers on the ground can assault their hideout” according to 403rd Infantry Brigade based in Bukidnon.
It can be recalled that January 18 last year, when a group of armed NPAs attack an undefended farmlot at Sitio Cole, Brgy Lilingayon, Valencia City, Bukidnon. They deliberately destroyed civilian-owned properties by chopping down around 8,500 banana trees and burning a boom-spray truck contracted by a plantation company. They also confiscated the mobile phones of the civilian operators of the boom truck according to reports of Valencia City PNP.
“We cannot allow these terrorists to launched another terroristic act against civilians, and we also cannot allow our soldiers to be killed by the APM they set up while waiting for their cue to attack civilian business establishments they intend to impose extorsion. We protect communities from threat, intimidation and attack of these terrorist and we also protect our soldiers from being killed so they be able live and defend our people” Colonel Ferdinand Barandon, newly installed Brigade Commander of 403rd Bde.
“They have already lost the support of their former massbase that is why we are quick to monitor their movements. It is their former mass supporters that wants them out of communities” Barandon added.
Soldiers upon entering the NPA’s lair in the hinter areas of Valencia City (Mt Kalatungan) discovered a dead body and seized an R4 rifle, APMs, sim cards, a baofeng radio, and notes & documents.
Contrary to accusation of Karapatan that the Army unit violated the IHL, Barandon said “the area is very far from nearest sitio or houses as it is in the hinterland, moreover we attacked a military objective which are armed terrorist, our fires are also directed to detonate the real IHL banned APM that the NPA use. That is why they only have one reported casualty maybe the one nearest on the APM they planted that got detonated. We challenge Karapatan to condemn NPA for using APM if they really are impartial”.
“I am again appealing to all NPA members to come home, their children, parents and siblings have long been waiting for them to take the road to peace. Our government will assist them to live a new life through Enhance Comprehensive Local Integration Program” Barandon concluded.
[Kalinaw News is the official online source of information on the pursuit for peace in the Philippines This website is a property of the Civil-Military Operations Regiment, Philippine Army located at Lawton Avenue, Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City. Contact us: kalinawnews@cmoregiment.com]
https://www.kalinawnews.com/army-confirms-death-of-npa-leader-in-bukidnon/
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