Army officials laud Bagumbayan officials in successful opn vs. NPAs

COTABATO CITY - Military officials today lauded the support provided by local officials of Bagumbayan, Sultan Kudarat that led to the neutralization of six communist rebels.

Maj. Gen. Roy Galido, 6th Infanry Division commander and Colonel Michael Santos, 603rd Infantry Brigade commander, separately told reporters they have enlisted the help of local officials in Bagumbayan and other towns in Sultan Kudarat province to help secure the surrender of NPAs in barangays under their jurisdiction via backchannel dialogues.

On Thursdaw dawn, soldiers shot dead six members of the New People’s Army in a gunfight in Barangay Chua, Bagumbayan.

The local police and Army officials identified the fatalities as Dennis Dolunan and his amazon-spouse, Lailyn, Sep Kasa, Jerry Kasa and two other men whose identities are still being verified by barangay officials.

Dolunan, wanted for 23 criminal cases pending in different courts, was deputy secretary of the NPA-styled East Daguma Front-Sub-Regional Command Far South South Mindanao Region, whose senior leaders are also wanted for heinous offenses.

Col. Santos said Thursday Dolunan and his five companions were killed in a clash in Barangay Chua in Bagumbayan with personnel of the Army’s 7^th Infantry Battalion, out to check their presence in the area as reported by residents.

Personnel of 7^th IB who figured in the gunfight with Dolunan’s group recovered in the scene of the encounter an AK 47 Kalashnikov rifle, three M16 rifles, ammunition and components for improvised explosive devices.

More than a hundred NPAs have surrendered in batches since January via units of 6^th ID, now being reintroduced to mainstream society.