BUTUAN CITY – The Armed Forces of the Philippine’s (AFP) focused military operations (FMO) on Communist Terrorist Group (CTG) induced waves of surrender in various parts in Mindanao.
In a statement, chief of Public Information Office (PIO) of the AFP Eastern Mindanao Command (EastMinCom) Maj. Alex D. Mindalano on Thursday said the FMO in targeted areas also resulted in the recovery of some war materials, including bomb-making materials.
He said troops of the EastMinCom under the close supervision of Lt. Gen. Greg T. Almerol continues to seize and recover various firearms from the CTG due to a surge of surrenders of its members in the face of intensified FMO. This FMO led to the discovery of arms caches and war materiel over the past weeks.
The largest of these was the recent recovery of six high-powered firearms composed of two M16A1 rifles, two M4 Carbines rifles, an M653 rifle, an M14 rifle, four M16 magazines, and four bandoliers after a CTG leader who yielded to the troops of 1002nd Brigade's 72nd Infantry Battalion pointed the location of an arms cache in Barangay Sinaysayan, Kitaotao, Bukidnon province, Maj. Mindalano said.
The CTG member who surrendered to the operating troops of the 72nd IB was a former supply officer/Squad Leader of Front Guerilla Unit (FGU), Guerilla Front (GF) 57, Sub-Regional Committee (SRC) 3 of the CPP-NPA Southern Mindanao Regional Committee (SMRC). The identity of the ex-rebel was temporarily withheld for his safety.
The EastMinCom PIO chief also bared that his peaceful surrender was aided by the barangay officials and officers of the Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (TF-ELCAC) of New Kabalantian in Arakan.
On the other hand, troops of 16th IB under 402nd Infantry (Stingers) Brigade likewise seized an M16A1 Armalite rifle, grenade launcher, an Uzi, and two magazines with ammunition as a high-ranking CTG member who surrendered last week (following his wife’s surrender), divulged the location of the said firearms on May 22, also this year, it said.
Alias “Ka Jayto” (name withheld), the commander of Sub-Regional Sentro De Grabidad (SRSDG) Eagles, Sub-Regional Committee (SRC) 1 of the CPP-NPA North Central Mindanao Regional Committee (NCMRC), also disclosed during an initial interview that he safely kept the said firearms in his relative in Malitbog, Bukidnon.
The same unit had likewise secured an AK47 rifle with magazine and ammunition after two CTG members identified as alias Mulan and alias Justin abandoned their group due to hardship and fatigue caused by continuing encounters with the government troops. Said personalities were team Leader and Medic of Headquarters Force (HQF) NEO, NCRMC.
Before this, troops of the 403rd Infantry (Peacemaker) Brigade's 8th IB also retrieved two AK47 rifles after two members of the RSDG Compaq, NCMRC, who surrendered recently, revealed the location of an arms cache at Barangay Busdi, Malaybalay City, Bukidnon on May 21.
"The series of setbacks of the CTG, such as the surrenders and recovery of firearms, is due to the focused military operations conducted by EastMinCom troops that prompted their units with dwindling members to hide excess guns and their members to escape," said Lt. Gen. Almerol.
With the neutralization of CTG members and clearing of their formerly influenced areas, he likewise noted that six CTG Guerilla Fronts and two Sub-Regional Guerilla Units (SRGUs) were dismantled by EastMinCom this year.
These were composed of the GF Huawei, GF68B, GF89, GF Malayag, and SRSDG Wei of the NCMRC; GF3 and SRGU, SRC5 of the SMRC; and GF Alip of the Far South Mindanao Region (FSRM).
Lt. Gen. Almerol attributed the accomplishment of EastMinCom to the collaborative efforts and cooperation of local leaders and former rebels that resulted in the recovery of various firearms and the snowball of surrenders for the said period.
He also lauded the troops for their tireless work and dedication to ending the local communist armed conflict before President Rodrigo R. Duterte’s term ends.
"We commend the strong synergy of government security forces, the TF-ELCAC, and former rebels, which ushered the reduction of CTG forces and firepower. It exhibits that our whole-of-nation approach, through Executive Order 70, continues to reap fruits as evidenced by our triumphs," expressed the EastMinCom chief.
"Rest assured that our efforts to curb the remnants of the CTG, coupled with the developments efforts of the Local Government Units, will continue to encourage more terrorist personalities to surrender, especially now that they are at the brink of total collapse," the EastMinCom commander added.
He also reiterated his call on the remaining CTG members to yield and avail the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-CLIP) ‘to live peacefully and reunite with their families before it’s too late.’