THE 10TH Infantry Division intensified the pursuit operation against the rebel group after an encounter erupted on Sunday that killed one soldier in Purok 7, Barangay Sta. Filemina, Quezon, Bukidnon.
In an interview on Monday, 10ID spokesperson Major Mark Anthony Tito declined to reveal the identity of the slain soldier as they have yet to inform his family. But he said he was a member of the 39th Infantry Battalion (IB), which augmented the 48th Infantry Battalion in the military operation in the area.
“Sa karon ongoing ang focused military operations sa area, part man to sa atoang operations diha sa Bukidnon against the members of the Weakened Guerilla Front 57 and the Sub-Regional Sentro De Grabidad peddler under the North Central Mindanao Regional Committee (NCMRC),” he added.
Accordingly, the GF 57 has only 13 members but strongly reinforced by the NCMRC. The rebel group operates in the southern part in Bukidnon, particularly in Kitaotao, Kibawe, and even as far as North Cotabato.
Also as part of the expansion of the 10ID’s area of responsibility, the division now covers parts of Bukidnon to include Damulog, Kibawe, Dangcagan, Kitaotao, eight barangays of San Fernando, and six barangays of Quezon.
Last June, the areas of Valencia, Quezon, San Fernando, Kadingilan, Don Carlos, and Maramag, were also added.
“Last June pana nahatag na area . Last time may encounter nahitabo then karon pud.The positive is that we are able to hit the NPA group and ongoing now [is the] pursuit operation para makuha ang nahibilin na NPA group ,” he further said.
