The Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (TF-ELCAC) convergence dismantled five (5) Western Mindanao Regional Party Committee (WMRPC) terrorist cells while 109 former armed members yield in Zamboanga Peninsula for 2020.
The continued whole-of-nation effort through the various levels of TF-ELCAC in Region 9 and Misamis Occidental resulted to the dismantling of Guerilla Front – JOJI in parts Misamis Occidental and Zamboanga del Sur; Guerilla Front – 13 in parts of Zamboanga Sibugay and del Norte; Guerilla Front – Feliciano “A” in parts of Zamboanga del Norte and Sibugay; and two of its Regional Operations Command units, namely, HQ KALAW and the Main Regional Guerilla Unit.
Despite the threat of the global pandemic that hit the country in March 2020, the 102nd Infantry (IGSOON) Brigade, through its maneuver battalions and in close coordination, collaboration and cooperation with other security forces under the Peace, Law Enforcement and Development Support (PLEDS) Clusters, recorded 36 armed encounters against various armed groups of the WMRPC which resulted to eight killed, four captured and five arrested Communist Terrorists.
Subsequently, the different armed engagements, series of surrender of firearms and revelation of armed caches resulted to 88 high-powered and 20 low-powered firearms, summed to 108 firearms reduced to the armed capability of the WMRPC for the year 2020.
“These accomplishments significantly weakened the threat of the WMRPC against the peace-loving people of Zamboanga Peninsula and slowly allowing the different government units, agencies and stakeholders the unhampered implementation of developmental programs, projects and activities in previously CTG-affected communities,” said Brig. Gen. Leonel Nicolas, Commander, 102nd Infantry Brigade.
Per monitoring of the Joint AFP-PNP Intelligence Coordinating Council, the WMRPC’s manpower and firepower capability has been reduced in half from 4th quarter 2019 to 4th quarter 2020, from 192 to 84 for active armed CNTs and 168 to 78 firearms remaining.
“At present, we are now focusing our efforts on the remaining two guerilla fronts of the WMRPC, which are Guerilla Front – BBC in Zamboanga del Norte and Guerilla Front – SENDONG in Misamis Occidental,” Brig. Gen. Nicolas added.
(Source: Team Igsoon Facebook Page)