BUTUAN CITY – The Army 4th Infantry (Diamond) Division reported the neutralization of 40 New People’s Army rebels from July to September during the 3rd Quarter Campaign Progress Review and Assessment (CPRA) and command conference in Camp Evangelista, Patag, Cagayan de Oro City, on Wednesday, October 18.
THE command group of the 4th Infantry (Diamond) Division under Major Gen. Jose Maria R. Cuerpo II during the 3rd Quarter Campaign Progress Review and Assessment (CPRA) and command conference at the Alcoseba Hall in Camp Evangelista, Patag, Cagayan de Oro City, on Wednesday, October 18. (Photo via Mike U. Crismundo)
The 4th ID also reported that 85 firearms and ammunition were seized during the period.
Major Gen. Jose Maria R. Cuerpo II, commanding general of the 4th ID, presided over the CPRA and command conference.
Cuerpo said through their aggressive joint and combined focused military operations from July to September, the 4th ID neutralized 40 NPA rebels, eight of whom were killed during encounters, and 32 surrendered.
He said the most notable accomplishment was the death of top NPA leader Dionisio “Muling” Micabalo, North Central Mindanao Regional Committee secretary, during an encounter with the 4th ID last July 26 in Gingoog City, Misamis Oriental.
The neutralization of top leadership and successive blows resulted in an irreversible downtrend of manpower and firepower of CTG since the start of the campaign this year, leading to a leadership vacuum and continuous survival mode which will result in the dismantling of three remaining so-called guerilla fronts under the Northeastern Mindanao Regional Committee (NEMRC) in Caraga region within this year, he said.
This also made the NPA’s attempted recovery effort futile and even continued to experience isolation and lack of civilian support, the 4th ID commander said.
Cuerpo set forth his command guidance to channel all units' strengths and capabilities toward achieving specific objectives against the NPA in their areas of operations.
"Again, I call on our commanders to focus all your energy and talents on accomplishing targeted NPA formations in a given time provided to us by the higher headquarters. Increase the operational tempo and support to operating troops,” he said.
“And to the commanders, especially our cutting-edge units, the brigades and the battalions and the companies, aggressively look for the enemy."
Cuerpo remined them to be apolitical in the barangay elections on October 30.
"I'm reminding all the commanders, stay apolitical, don't get involved in politics,” he said.
“We are friends to everybody, let's not choose who we are friends with, we are friends to all. When political things come, let's not gamble our organizational impression or organizational faith over personal ambition. Let's focus on shielding the organization from political influences that are not supposed to be influencing us."