CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY — Government troops killed a high-ranking commander of the New People’s Army (NPA) during a series of encounters along the boundaries of Agusan del Sur and Bukidnon yesterday, February 15.
The fatality was identified as Bonifacio Lutawan, alias “Ka Tado,” the commanding officer of the regional operational command of the North Central Mindanao Regional Committee (NCMRC).
In an emailed advisory today, troopers of the 8th Infantry Battalion (8IB) said identity of the slain guerrilla was confirmed by former rebels who had previously surrendered to them.
The soldiers engaged a squad of the Maoist guerrillas at Sitio Tacocon in Barangay Kasapa II, La Paz, Agusan del Sur.
The area, located near the Bukidnon border, has long been monitored by the military as a known route for insurgent movement.
A second firefight broke out later in the day as troops pursued the retreating rebels northeast toward the provincial boundary, preventing them from regrouping in nearby communities.
Aside from the body of Lutawan, soldiers also recovered an M653 rifle at the scene.
Lieutenant Colonel Jeorge Jallorina, Commanding Officer of the 8th Infantry Battalion, pointed out the military’s continued pressure on the group.
“We remain committed and ready to end the insurgency in Bukidnon within the timeline directed by higher headquarters,” Jallorina told Gold Star Daily.
Operations Intensify
The clash is part of a brigade-wide offensive launched last December 30, under the 403rd Infantry Brigade. The operations aim to dismantle the remaining leadership of the NCMRC and deny them the use of provincial boundaries as safe havens.
Sunday’s encounter follows a significant blow to the rebel group’s logistics earlier this month.
On February 5, two finance officers of the NCMRC, identified only by their aliases “Makong” and “Ensi,” surrendered to the 8IB.
