An alleged high-ranking leader of the Communist Party of the Philippines – New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) has been killed in a military operation in Tandag City, Surigao del Sur, the Philippine Army’s 4th Infantry Division (4ID) revealed Sunday, Sept. 18.
The 4ID identified the fatality as Noel Alacre who, the military said, had used numerous aliases such as “Megan, Hardy, Heinrich, Vernie, and Jerson” to conceal his true identity.
Alacre was tagged as the commanding officer of Platoon 2, Weakened Guerilla Front 30 (WGF30) of the CPP-NPA’s North Eastern Mindanao Regional Committee (NEMRC).
According to a military report, elements of the 36th Infantry Battalion (36IB) conducted an intensified military operation in Sitio Maitom, Brgy. Mahanon, Tandag City last Sept. 15 after four unidentified men burned three motorcycles and fired several gunshots along the village’s main road around 1:30 a.m. of same day.
The Mahanon Civilian Active Auxiliary (CAA) detachment of the 36IB immediately conducted a strike patrol to trail the arsonists until they found and engaged the enemies along the Tandag river line, said Lt. Col. Michael Rey Reuyan, 36IB commanding officer.
“The terroristic act of arson and the reckless firing perpetuated by the CTGs was immediately responded to by the Mahanon CAA Detachment, forcing the CTG leader to cross the Tandag river even under heavy rain and current,” Reuyan said.
During the pursuit operation, Alacre was hit by a fatal shot and left by his subordinates who fled for their own safety, the military officer shared.
The NPA platoon leader’s body was only recovered on Friday, Sept. 16, along the river bank of Sitio Maitom.
The 4ID said that Alacre has 28 warrants of arrest under his name for various criminal cases: 12 counts of murder, eight counts of attempted murder, three counts of frustrated murder, two counts of slight illegal detention, and one each for kidnapping and serious illegal detention, arson, and abduction.
Recovered from Alacre were an R4A3 rifle, steel and plastic rifle magazines with live ammunition, rifle grenades, cellphones, and personal items.
The 4ID said that Alacre’s death will deal a heavy blow to the “weakened” Guerilla Front 30 which could result to their eventual destruction. A guerilla front is considered weakened if its leaders are either captured or killed, and it is up for dismantling.