CAMP AGUINALDO, Quezon City—The Armed Forces of the Philippines is closer to its objective to immediately defeat the remaining communist terrorist group and attain total victory with the recent death of a notorious communist terrorist leader in Mindanao.
General Romeo Brawner Jr, the Chief of Staff of the AFP, who earlier claimed strategic victory against communist and local terrorist groups, cited the military operation of the 4th Infantry Division’s on July 26 in Gingoog City, Misamis Oriental that led to the demise of communist terrorist group (CTG) identified as Dionisio Micabalo, also known as Muling, Secretary of the Northern Central Mindanao Regional Committee (NCMRC).
“As the AFP has attained strategic victory against local and communist terrorist groups with most of their armed members neutralized, those who remain are in survival mode,” General Brawner Jr said in his assumption speech.
“This presents an opportunity for us to dismantle and defeat all remaining armed components to end insurgency and prevent their resurgence,” he added.
Micabalo’s group was notorious for perpetrating numerous atrocities and criminal activities in areas such as Bukidnon, Misamis Oriental, and parts of Agusan del Norte and Agusan del Sur.
Additionally, the troops captured one AK Rifle, one Cal .22 Rifle, along with various war materiel and personal belongings.
Micabalo, 61 years old from Dancagan, Bukidnon, was a wanted fugitive with charges including rebellion, double murder with frustrated murder, multiple frustrated murder and arson, as well as murder and violation of RA 9851. He was considered one of the top two NPAs in the region, with Myrna Sularte, also known as Iyay/Imang, operating in most parts of Caraga region.
Meanwhile, Major General Jose Maria R Cuerpo II, the Commander of 4ID, commended the efforts of 58 Infantry Battalion and the 402nd Brigade, emphasizing that Micabalo’s demise has dealt a significant blow to the CTG, potentially leading to the weakening and disintegration of criminal activities in Northern Mindanao.
He also acknowledged the positive impact of the government’s amnesty proclamation for former rebels, encouraging remaining NPA members to abandon violence and contribute to the region’s peaceful and prosperous development.
The area covered by North Central Mindanao Regional Committee (NCRMC) is the withdrawal area of insurgents coming from the Southern Mindanao Regional Committee (Davao Region). The CPP/NPA/NDF forces are also losing their grounds in CARAGA, the operational area of North Eastern Mindanao Regional Committee (NEMRC). The Mindanao Commission (KOMMID) has been rendered totally ineffective after the death of its leaders (Menandro Villanueva @ Bok, Jorge Madlos @ Oris, et al). Western Mindanao Regional Party Committee (WMRPC) and the Far South Mindanao Regional Committee (FSMRC) are both left with a handful of party members and fighters who are under relentless pursuit by government security forces.
Their recruitment program has been stopped with the closure of legal institutions that the CPP has been using to radicalize peasants (IP, farmers and agri-workers) in geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas.
In essence, the world is crumbling for the CPP. It’s existence has been rejected by all LGUs and civilian communities who declared them persona-non-grata. It’s time to save the exploited masses, especially those it has recruited from the peasant, workers, youth and student sectors to join the NPA. I hope the media will help us convey our message to them. Let this be a whole-of-nation approach. After all, the peace is for all the Filipinos to enjoy.
