Misamis Occidental 'insurgency-free' after death of NPA leader

From the Philippine News Agency (Mar 27, 2024): Misamis Occidental 'insurgency-free' after death of NPA leader (By Nef Luczon)

Google map of Misamis Occidental.

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – The dismantling of the communist rebel group and the death of one of its longtime leaders are factors leading to the declaration of Misamis Occidental province as "insurgency-free."

Maj. Gen. Gabriel Viray, commander of the 1st Infantry Division (1ID), said the support of the provincial government to the Army troops was instrumental in the dismantling of the New People's Army's (NPA) guerilla front "Sendong."

In a statement on Wednesday, Viray cited the military operation that led to the death of Aprecia Rosete, an NPA commander of the Western Mindanao Regional Party Committee, in February.

Rosete, who hails from the Davao Region, had 30 warrants of arrest for murder, extortion, and the destruction of several infrastructures in the Zamboanga Peninsula. She had been hiding under the "Sendong" front operating in Misamis Occidental before she was killed in Barangay Malagad, Dumingag town.

Viray hailed Governor Henry Oaminal for the provincial government's financial support, which helped allocate funds to reward those who facilitated the surrender or neutralization of some rebels.

"This allocation expedited our operations, fostered greater cooperation among the populace, and bolstered the efforts of our units on the ground to dismantle the last remaining guerilla front in the (Zamboanga) Peninsula and Misamis Occidental," the Army official said.

Misamis Occidental's declaration as an insurgency-free province was signed on March 3, 2024 by the leadership of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP); it was approved by the national government on March 11, 2024.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1221658