THE VILLAGE in Kadingilan town, Bukidnon, where more or less 20 armed men tried to intimidate a police patrol base early dawn on Monday, April 10, is already under control.
The military reported that one tribal chieftain was killed while the nearly 1,000 residents who fled their homes had already returned.
However, Brig Gen Patricio Reuben Amata, 1002nd Infantry Brigade commander, told TIMES on Tuesday in a phone interview that the 300 scared families took refuge at Barangay Cabadiangan gym.
“They can slowly go back to their respective areas because we have already stabilized the situation and eliminated the threat because the armed group already escaped,” Amata said.
The army official said they immediately sent reinforcements from the 48th Infantry Battalion after receiving the report that armed men harassed the police patrol base.
“The intent was to expel the patrol base,” he said, explaining the motive of the armed mob.
Reportedly, he said one tribal chieftain in the adjacent Barangay Carmen died during the harassment.
Amata explained that there is an existing land conflict between the two barangays. However, they talked with the local barangay officials and the chief executive to defuse the situation.
“We already talked to the mayor and the community, and they knew the identities of those who harassed (the patrol base),” he added.
Moreover, he allayed fears that the incident involved the New People’s Army showing its force. He insisted that the towns of Damulog, Kibawe, Kadingilan, and Don Carlos in Bukidnon are already NPA-cleared areas.
For now, soldiers of the 48th Infantry Battalion and the Bukidnon police remained in the area to implement peace and prevent another attack.
Just recently, Kadingilan, including Maramag, Valencia, Quezon, and Don Carlos all of Bukidnon, was already turned over to the 10th Infantry Division last March 2023 as an additional area of responsibility.
Photo courtesy of Arch Plaza FB post
