PIAT, Cagayan -- Three high-value members of a Communist Terrorist Group (CTG) who were leaders of the Komiteng Probinsya (KOMPROB) Cagayan and Komiteng Rehiyon-Cagayan Valley (KR-CV) were killed during a brief firefight with troops belonging to 17th Infantry Battalion on a Maundy Thursday in Barangay Maguilling here.
A report from the Cagayan Provincial Police Office and 5th Infantry Division said that the dead CTG leaders were identified as Saturnino Agunoy alias Peping, Head of the Regional Operations Department of Komiteng Rehiyon-Cagayan Valley (KR-CV), Mark Canta alias Uno and member of Giyang Politikal, West Front Committee, and one known only as alias Val, medical officer of the West Front Committee. They were all from KOMPROB Cagayan, KR-CV.
Agunoy had a standing warrant of arrest for 12 cases of Qualified Assault of persons in authority with murder (with corresponding bail of 120,000 each), two cases of Qualified Assault upon agent of person in authority with murder (no bail), and Arson with P24,000 bail; and another murder case (no bail), and rebellion with P200,000 bail.
Items recovered in the encounter site were two cal. 45 pistols, one hand grenade , backpack with (lenovo laptop with Charger one Cherry mobile smartphone, USB and personal items), another backpack with medical supplies (12 syringes, three IV fluids, bandages, 30 gauze pad, etc) and subversive documents with high intelligence value.
There was no casualty in the side of the government troops, according to Captain Isabelita B Gano, Chief, PIO, Cagayan Police Provincial Office.
“Wala namang nasawi sa panig ng gobyerno. Agad namang nakipag-ugnayan ang Piat Police Station sa Provincial Explosive Ordnance Disposal and Canine Unit (PECU) at Scene of the Crime Operation (SOCO) para sa agarang pagproseso sa pinangyarihan ng insidente, “ Ganu added.
On the other hand, Provincial Director, Colonel Renell R Sabaldica appealed to the public to report any presence of unidentified persons roaming around their place,
“Makipagtulungan ang mamamayang Cagayano sa kapulisan at iulat ang anumang kahina-hinalang mga tao o kaganapan sa kanilang lugar upang mapanatili ang kaayusan at katahimikan sa ating probinsiya.”