TRENTO, AGUSAN DEL SUR – A ranking leader of the New People’s Army (NPA) and his wife, an NPA medic, were killed in a clash with government troops in the province of Agusan del Sur, military officials announced.
Col. Oliver Maquiling, 701st Infantry Brigade commander, said the clash happened Monday in Barangay Sta. Maria, Trento, Agusan del Sur.
Maquiling identified the slain ranking NPA as Danny Huit alias Ka Bosyong, secretary of the NPA’s Guerrilla Front North, Sub-Regional Command-1, Southern Mindanao Regional Party Committee and his wife, Naneth Catalino, who carries the aliases of Ka Bambam and Ka Keith.
Maquiling said the troops of the 67th Infantry Battalion were checking the reported presence of unidentified gunmen when they clash with the NPA couple.
Maquiling said that Huit had been on a wanted list for several charges including frustrated murder, homicide, two-count arson, and rebellion which are pending before Regional Trial Court Branches 7, 3, and 32 in Baganga, Davao Oriental; Nabunturan, Davao de Oro; and Lupon, Davao Oriental, respectively.
Maj. Gen. Ernesto Torres, 10th Infantry Division commander, has commended the troops for standing by their mandate of protecting the people from lawless elements, adding that they will not give the enemies a chance to bring more terror among peace-loving communities.
Meanwhile, Maj. Gen. Greg Almerol, commander of Eastern Mindanao Command (Eastmincom), also praised the active participation of the community by immediately reporting suspicious individuals to authorities.
“The sustained coordination between the troops and the people is the key to the Command’s goal of building an insurgency-free and resilient communities. Without their firm support, we cannot fully uproot the evils brought by the CTG [communist terrorist group],” Almerol said.
Almerol reiterated his call for the remaining members of the CTGs to yield to the government peacefully instead of stubbornly fighting for a cause that only sows terror and violence.
“Choosing to die for a cause that has already claimed several innocent lives is not a noble act. The blood of the people you killed for your selfish political agenda will forever haunt you. History will only absolve you if you choose to surrender peacefully and help the country in building a peaceful and progressive Philippines,” Almerol said. – Nikolai Gonzalo
