MISAMIS ORIENTAL, Aug. 21 – Brigadier General Maurito L. Licudine, the Commander of 402nd Infantry (Stingers) Brigade has ordered a massive manhunt operation against the fleeing members of the CPP-NPA Terrorists (CNTs) after an encounter with the troopers of 58th Infantry (Dimalulupig) Battalion in the forested area of Sitio Mangilet, Barangay Bal-ason, Gingoog City, Misamis Oriental.
“An order was already sent to the troops to scour the vicinity of the encounter site and pursue without let up the escaping CNTs,” Licudine said.
Licudine stressed that the CNTs are in the area to sow terror to the civilians and extort money and food for their survival.
“We will not give any chance for these terrorists to regroup and harass the residents in Barangay Bal-ason and the surrounding areas. We want these New People’s Army (NPA) terrorists pushed hard until they give up their arms and surrender to the government,” Licudine maintained.
While the CTGs are now distressed, hungry and tired after the armed confrontation, the 58IB troopers must continue to track down, pursue and neutralize the fleeing NPA terrorists, the 402Bde commander emphasized.
Elements of 58IB under the operational control of 402nd Brigade were conducting combat operations in the area after receiving reports from residents on the presence of armed CTG members who are planning to conduct harassments and extortion activities.
Around twenty CNTs believed to be members of Guerrilla Front (GF) 4B of North Central Mindanao Regional Committee (NCMRC) headed by an @ PATRICK (TNU) were engaged by the operating troops in a 30-minute gun battle. The CNTs then abandoned their positions and retreated toward the southeast direction in the area after the encounter leaving still unidentified one dead comrade and possibly sustained undetermined number of casualties as evidenced by the bloodstains discovered on the spot where they positioned during the skirmish and on their escape route while no one was hurt on the government side.
The government troopers also recovered from the encounter site one M14 rifle, one anti-personnel mine (APM), a 50-meter wire, three magazines for M14 rifle loaded with ammunition, one Baofeng radio, one solar charger, and assorted medical paraphernalia.
“Your Army, particularly those under the operational control of 402nd Brigade, will not rest in pursuing these NPA terrorists who continue to hamper development initiatives of the government especially in the remote areas considered as geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas that are under the CapDEV or PDZ program,” Licudine said, as he pointed out that services of the government are needed by the people nowadays amidst the continuing threat of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
“Instead of paving the way for the help and services to reach remote barangays during this pandemic, these NPA terrorists are aggravating the hardships of the people by spreading fear through harassment and intimidation,” Licudine said. He also lauded the courage of the residents in the area for informing the Army on the presence of the CNTs.
“We encourage the populace to report to us the presence of these terrorists in your communities and surely we will act on them. They are none a pestilence than COVID-19.” Licudine added. (402nd Infantry “Stingers” Brigade)
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