THE NEW PEOPLE’S Army (NPA)-Bukidnon seized three R4 assault rifles (attached to one of which is an M203 grenade launcher), two M14s, a .45 caliber pistol, eight ammunition and vests in a successful raid against a base of the 1st Special Forces Battalion (SFB)-Civilian Active Auxiliary in Sitio Green Valley, Barangay Dalwangan, Malaybalay City on February 14, 9:40 p.m. Four enemy troopers were confirmed killed. Meanwhile, a Red fighter was martyred and two others were wounded.

The Red fighters were able to control the camp which was situated along a major road in Bukidnon within five minutes. Ka Malem Mabini, spokesperson of the NPA-North Central Mindanao Region, said that 1st SFB elements serve as a mercenaries of DOLE and Del Monte, plantation corporations which operate in approximately 50,000 hectares of farmland and Lumad ancestral territories, and are notorious for employing unfair labor practices.

The said military unit intensively suppresses hundreds of farmers who are struggling to take back their lands. It was dubbed as a “massacre battalion” for perpetrating brutal killings in the province. Among the crimes it perpetrated were the massacres in Bugna on March 2015; in Pangantucan on September 2015 wherein five civilians were killed including a blind old man and his children; and in Talakag on March 2016 wherein three civilians were killed and a pregnant woman and two others were wounded.

Quezon. A unit of the NPA-Quezon paralyzed three backhoes and a bulldozer owned by a company constructing the Kaliwa Dam in Sitio Salok, Barangay Magsaysay, Infanta, Quezon on February 7, 4:40 p.m. The action was a response to the longstanding complaints of the residents of Quezon against the project which will massively devastate their farmlands and livelihoods. The project is under the “Build, Build, Build” program of the US-Duterte regime and is a component of the New Centennial Water Source Project (NCWSP). The government is set to loan approximately P12.8 million from China for the project.

Negros Oriental. A soldier of the 94th IB conducting “peace and development” operations in Barangay Binobohan was slain in a sniping operation mounted by NPA-Negros against an enemy camp in Guihulngan City on February 17, 9:00 a.m.

In Bicol, the NPA-East Camarines Sur offered Red salutes to Randy Vega (Ka Ben), Marvin Baao (Ka Jazz), Florante Empeno (Ka Dan), Johnny Flores (Ka Mateo) at Florencio Iliw-iliw (Ka Rene), five Red fighters who were martyred during an encounter in Barangay Lupi, Tinambac, Camarines Sur on January 30. “They offered their lives in advancing the struggle for the liberation of the Filipino masses,” said the local NPA command.
Meanwhile, the NPA-Southern Tagalog also paid tribute to John Carlo Alberto (Ka Yago) who was martyred in an encounter in Barangay San Buenaventura, Luisiana, Laguna on February 14.

Ka Yago was a Veterinary Medicine student of the University of the Philippines-Los Baños and served as the vice chairperson of Anakbayan-UPLB. Ka Yago joined the revolutionary armed movement in 2017, wherein he continued to share his knowledge to farmers and comrades, particularly in raising livestock. He was able to enhance his medical skills and became a doctor of the people.