CADAVERS of the alleged ranking leader and a member of the communist New People’s Army (NPA) in Caraga Region were recovered Sunday by the 3rd Special Forces Battalion (3SFBn) in Andap Valley Complex in Barangay Diatagon, Lianga, Surigao del Sur, a military official said Monday.
Elements from the 3SF Battalion even recovered two AK 47 rifles, ammunition, anti-personnel mines, bomb-making materials, one portable generator, assorted medical supplies, laptops, cellphones and handheld radio.
Army’s 4th Infantry Division public affairs chief Captain Al Anthony Pueblas said they were killed in an encounter on July 7, but their dead bodies were not recovered.
“Together with another NPA rebel who still not identified, both were only recovered yesterday (Sunday) by our government troops,” said Pueblas.
Pueblas identified the NPA leader as Marcelino Navarro, alias Marsing, the current deputy secretary and head of education and propaganda of the North Eastern Mindanao Regional Committee (NEMRC) of the NPA.
The cadavers were recovered by the 3SFBn troopers who have been conducting security operations since Saturday (July 18) in the said Valley Complex in Barangay Diatagon, Lianga, Surigao del Sur.
The dead body of Tampos was positively identified by former rebels while the Army is still processing to determine the identity of the other cadaver according to Pueblas.
Pueblas said, soldiers conducted security operations after they received report from the residents on the supposed plan of NPA rebels to burn the newly-constructed Department of Education (DepEd) Indigenous Peoples’ school in Sitio Simuwao, Diatagon.
He said that they were among those severely wounded during the encounter but were abandoned by their retreating comrades from the pursuing troopers.
Meanwhile, In a statement, the government troops also seized hideout that can accommodate 60-80 NPA rebels and about 8-kilometers away from the nearest community of Sitio Panukmoan of Brgy Diatagon, with makeshifts structures and bunkers.
Army’s 401st Brigade commander Brigadier General Allan D. Hambala said they intesified their security operations in the area after receiving successive reports from the IP communities that a large group of NPA rebels are intruding inside their ancestral domains and threatening them.
The NPA rebels had already mercilessly murdered four innocent tribe members since July 6, 2020, acvording to Hambala.
He said that the NPAs even planned on burning down the newly built DepEd’s IP School at Sitio Simuwao.
“These vicious plans and terroristic actions of the NPAs must be stopped,” said Hambala.
On July 6 and 9, a certain Jomar Ignacio Engayas, 46, manobo, from Barangay Libas-ud, San Miguel, Surigao del Sur and certain Paquito Maca Badiang were both shot to death by the NPA rebels.
The two last murder victims were Jandi Limbona, 23, farmer and Noel Estampa, 49, barangay police, who were also shot at Sitio Tabasngan, Mat-I, Surigao City on July 11, 2020 at 10 o’clock in the morning, while cutting lumber on a mountainous area, totaling to four.
“We condemn to the strongest possible term the series of killings perpetrated by these terrorist NPAs against our IP brothers,” said Datu Rico Maca, IPMR of San Miguel.
Maca even called for help from Pres. (Ridrigo) Duterte to attain justice against the NPA rebels.
Likewise, Datu Jumar Bucales, IPMR of Lianga, together with the other tribal leaders expressed their full support to the ongoing military operations inside their ancestral domain.
“The tribal communities are thankful to the Army for protecting us against these terrorist NPAs. There have been numerous human rights abuses and killings committed by these NPA terrorists to our communities that we really need the presence of the military in our ancestral land,” Bucales said.
Meanwhile, the local government unit of Lianga has already provided assistance and relief goods to 39 affected families staying at Sitio Manluy-a, Barangay Diatagon after they evacuated their homes in fear of possible NPA retaliation.
“The 401st Infantry Brigade will remain true to its mandate and will put an end to these communist terrorists who have threatened the peace-loving Caraganons, lambasted our given democracy and hampered our country’s development for more than 5 decades.”
“To the remaining NPAs, surrender now and grab the chance of being reunited with your loved ones and the community,” Hambala said. (Ben Balce)
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