Marines foil NPA plan in Maguindanao

CAMP SIONGCO, MAGUINDANAO – Elements of Marine Battalion Landing Team-5 (MBLT-5) and 63rd Marine Company Force Reconnaisance Group (63MC, FRG) of the 1st Marine Brigade encountered members of the Local Guerilla Unit (LGU1) composed of the remnants of Guerilla Front 53 and 56, Southern Mindanao Regional Committee (SMRC) under a certain Ka Aber at Sitio Kapatagan, Brgy Karim, Buldon, Maguindanao on September 2, 2021.

Lt. Col. Tino Maslan PN (M), Commanding Officer of MBLT-5, disclosed that their troops conducted clearing operation on the reported presence of NPA members at the hinterlands of Buldon, Maguindanao.

“With the information and help coming from the residents of Buldon, our troops were able to locate and intercept the Communist Terrorists at Sitio Kapatagan, Brgy Karim, Buldon, Maguindanao,” said Lt. Col. Maslan, adding that the armed clash resulted to the wounding of two (2) Marines, while a civilian was killed and another was wounded when the NPAs fired towards a group of farmers near the encounter site. Further, the operating troops recovered one (1) 7.62mm converted M1 Garand rifle.

As a result of the armed clash, a pursuit operation was sustained by the operating troops which led to the capture of five (5) NPA members in their hideout at Sitio Dimagalen of the same locality on September 4, 2021 indetified as Omar Dimalapang Magarang alias Ka Anghel/Miguel - Political Guide; Vedencio E Obsid alias Ka Heron/Alen, - Former Squad Leader of GF-4B; Ginalo Gargar Iladan alias Ka Gengen/Saysay – Medic; Erlinda Gablas Manseguiao alias Ka Angga/Lisa – Medic & Supply Officer; and Elino Pangasian alias Ka Iko/Tutong. The arrest also led to the confiscation of two (2) caliber .45 pistols, three (3) magizines with 27 rounds of ammunitions for cal. 45, assorted medicines, and other paraphernalias.

According to Brig. Gen. Jonas R. Lumawag PN(M), Commander of 1st Marine Brigade and Naval Task Group Central under Joint Task Force Central, the clearing operation is in response to the complaints of the residents of Buldon, Maguindanao on the presence of armed men in their locality. He added that there were reports that the NPAs intends to establish a guerilla base at the boundaries of Buldon, Maguindanao and Alamada, North Cotabato.

“We will never allow the Communist Terrorists to set a foothold in this part of Maguindanao. The Iranuns are tired of violence and had been longing for peace for decades already,” Brig. Gen. Lumawag stressed.

Maj. Gen. Juvymax R. Uy, Commander of Joint Task Force Central and 6th Infantry (Kampilan) Division, lauded the accomplishments of the 1st Marine Brigade.

“Your efforts to track down and thwart any plans of the NPAs within your area of operation is a clear manifestitation of your selfless service and dedication to protect our communities from the atrocities of said group,” Maj. Gen. Uy said.

It can be recalled that in 2019, the Municipality of Buldon, Maguindanao denounced the NPAs and declared them as Persona Non-grata. These came after the national government heightened its campaign against the CPP-NPA-NDF with the implementation of EO 70 and the creation of the NTF-ELCAC in 2018.

Since then, scores of NPA surrenders and the neutralization of their key leaders has been recorded nationwide through the utilization of the whole-of-nation approach of the government against the Communist Terrorist Group.