High-ranking NPA leader slain in South Cotabato clash

From the Philippine News Agency (Feb 21, 2021): High-ranking NPA leader slain in South Cotabato clash (By Edwin Fernandez)

Infographics courtesy of the Army's 6th Infantry Division.

CAMP SIONGCO, Maguindanao del Norte – A communist rebel leader linked to various crimes was killed during a militaroperation over the weekend in an upland town in South Cotabato province, military officials said Tuesday.

Brigadier Gen. Pedro Balisi Jr., commander of the Army’s 1st Mechanized Brigade (1MBde), identified the slain rebel leader as Martin Min Fay, also known as Diego or Kidlat, who was with his group during the clash in Barangay Laconon, T’boli town, on Saturday.

Balisi said Fay, the subject of a search warrant, resisted and fired at government forces from the 1MBde and the Army's 5th Special Forces Battalion who were approaching his safehouse during the 5 a.m. operation.

“There was no casualty from the government side,” Balisi said in a statement.

At the time of his death, Fay was the vice commanding officer of the front organizational command of the New People’s Army (NPA) Guerilla Front Musa under the Far South Mindanao Region.

Recovered from him were a .45-caliber pistol, 13 rounds of live ammunition, three mobile phones, two sling bags and personal items.

According to Balisi, Fay's group was responsible for various crimes, including arson and bus bombings, which hindered progress and development in South Central Mindanao.

Fay’s group was tagged as behind the burning of a road grader owned by T-Square Construction in General Santos City in November 2016. The rebels are also accused of torching of multiple vehicles and a building owned by Amadeo Phela Resources, a banana exporting firm, in March 2017.

In addition, the group was also linked to the burning of Yellow Bus Line air-conditioned units in November and December 2016 by planting incendiary bombs inside, and also for setting on fire a packing station belonging to Dole Stanfilco in December of the same year.

Balisi said Fay's group also took part in an ambush against the Army’s 27th Infantry Battalion in T'boli, South Cotabato, in 2018.

Major General Alex Rillera, the Army’s 6th Infantry Division commander, lauded the neutralization of "a high-ranking NPA officer long wanted for a string of cases."

"Neutralizing the suspect responsible for violent incidents in Southern Mindanao brought closure and justice to victims who suffered property damage, income loss, and even fatalities,” said Rillera, also the commander of Army-led Joint Task Force Central.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1195723