By Alexander Lopez
BUTUAN CITY – A high-ranking New People’s Army (NPA) leader was killed in an encounter on Monday morning in Sitio Casting, Barangay Bayan, Marihatag, Surigao del Sur.
The Army’s 401st Infantry Brigade (401Bde) identified the slain NPA leader as Edilberto Daval, alias Bong, also known in the underground movement as Alias Waco and Alias Bill.
Daval served as second deputy secretary of the executive committee of the North Eastern Mindanao Regional Committee (NEMRC) and as commanding officer of the NEMRC’s Regional Operations Command (ROC).
Government troops from the 75th Infantry Battalion and the 3rd Special Forces Battalion captured one of Daval’s companions, identified as Jaymark Bada Lamela (aliases Miggy and Migz), a security member of ROC, NEMRC. The troops also recovered one Tavor TAR-21 assault rifle and one R4 rifle at the encounter site.
“This development marks the continuing collapse of the Communist Terrorist Group (CTG) leadership and operational capability of NEMRC,” Col. Glenn Joy Aynera, acting commander of 401Bde, said.
Aynera said the neutralization of key NPA personalities will disrupt their remaining network and reflects the effectiveness of sustained military operations with strong community support.
“We continue to call on the remaining CTG members to abandon the armed struggle and return peacefully to the folds of the law while they still have the chance. The government is ready to assist them through various reintegration programs so they can rebuild their lives and reunite with their families,” he said. (PNA)
