In a span of a month, the 10th IB twice suffered misencounters between its wing units. Five troopers were killed and several others were wounded in these incidents, causing demoralization and disgruntlement among its foot soldiers.

A unit of the 10th IB chancing for an ambush against the New People’s Army (NPA) on January 30 in Barangay Petianan, Don Victoriano town of Misamis Occidental, fired upon an armed unit not knowing that it was one of their own, a wing unit of the 10th IB. A soldier was killed and several others were wounded.

According to Ka Wanda Malindang, information staff of the NPA Western Mindanao Regional Operational Command, soldiers might have been confused because of the thick fog, and possible miscoordination as several units were deployed to scour communities.

This came two hours after Red fighters of the NPA-Misamis Occidental fired upon forces of the 10th IB operating in nearby Barangay Lampasan. Field units of the NPA reported five killed enemy soldiers (four regular military men and a CAFGU element).

On December 28, 2020, a 2nd Lieutenant, a corporal and two other soldiers were killed as an 18-soldier unit of the 10th IB fired shots against another operating unit of the same battalion in Barangay Namut, Tudela.

The ambushed unit was bringing with them a cadaver of a soldier who fell of a cliff. It was evening when they passed by the ambushing unit. “They were likely mistaken as Red fighters,” said Malindang.