By Froilan Gallardo
Special Correspondent

THE military said on Monday that Myrna Sularte aka “Maria Malaya” would most likely succeed his slain husband, Jorge Madlos, to head of the National Operations Center (NOC) of the New Peoples Army nationwide.

Armed Forces Eastern Mindanao commander Lt. Gen. Greg Almerol said only Sularte, currently the secretary of the NPA North Eastern Mindanao Regional Committee (NEMRC), can succeed Madlos.

“Only she is left among the NPA leaders who have the stature like Madlos,” Almerol said.

Almerol said the Communist Party of the Philipines would find it hard to replace Madlos, who was also a politburo member of its central committee.

Madlos, 72, was killed alongside his medical aide, Eighfel De La Pena alias “Ka Pica” during a firefight with government troops who assaulted a rebel-held area in Sitio Gabunan, barangay Dumalaguing in Impasug-ong town in Bukidnon province last Saturday morning.

Sularte issued a statement later on behalf of the National Democratic Front North Eastern Mindanao Region, confirming the death of Madlos and his aide but claimed that the military ambushed the two in Impasug-ong town last Friday night.

She also belied claimed that military operations killed her husband and his aide.

Almerol arrived in the 4th Infantry Division headquarters in Barangay Patag, Cagayan de Oro Monday morning to give medals to the commanders of the army units involved in the military operations against Madlos.

Fourth Infantry Division commander Major Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. said Philippine Air Force F50 jets were used to drop bombs on the rebel-held encampment in Sitio Gabunan last Friday night.

“We had to use the F50 jets to drop bombs to clear a path to the camp for our soldiers,” Brawner said.

Brawner said all the jet planes landed safely at the Sasa Airport in Davao City after dropping their 500-lbs bombs in Sitio Gabunan.

He said the camp was surrounded by anti-personnel mines, some as big as milk cans, that it would be impossible to breach with incurring casualties.

Brawner said the final assault was made by a platoon of 20 soldiers from the 8th Infantry Division, 1st Special Forces Battalion, and the 2nd Army Ranger Company Saturday dawn

Army 403rd Infantry Brigade commander Brig. Gen. Ferdinand Barandon said the soldiers were only able to enter the camp around 11:30 am on the same day.