BUTUAN CITY — Five remaining members of the rebel group New People’s Army (NPA)-Northeastern Mindanao, which operates in the Caraga Region, were neutralized following a series of encounters in Barangay Bugas-Bugas, in the town of Placer, Surigao del Norte.
The operation was launched by the joint team of the 30th Infantry (Fight On) Battalion, 901st Infantry Brigade, and intelligence units under the 4th Infantry (Diamond) Division, starting from Friday, June 13, until yesterday, Sunday, June 15.
Roderick Maco Bensing, alias Rodel — the top leader of the group in Caraga Region — was the first to be killed, alongside two of his companions, including Liezl Dagohoy Mondejar, who later died in hospital due to critical injuries.
According to Second Lieutenant Allen Villavicencio, platoon leader of the 30IB, the first encounter occurred after 8 a.m. yesterday, resulting in the recovery of a corpse.
The second combatant, a woman, was found gravely injured and rushed to the hospital but later died as well. At 11 a.m., a second encounter resulted in the recovery of another body.
Meanwhile, in the previous days, Ricky Per, alias Rem — a high-ranking NPA leader in the region — surrendered and turned over a .45-caliber pistol, subsequently leading soldiers to a weapons cache. This resulted in the recovery of his M16 rifle, a rifle grenade, ammunition, magazines, bandoliers, and mobile phones.
Allan Cacatian, also known by his alias Allen, was likewise captured.
The series of encounters resulted from a security operation launched to thwart NPA’s attempt to regain control of Surigao del Norte, which had previously been declared insurgency-free. The repeated failure by the rebels highlights the strong commitment of the local communities and the security forces to preserving peace and order in the area.
