Emblematic of the continuing revolutionary armed struggle of the people in the region against martial law in Mindanao, five military actions were launched within four days by the New People’s Army – North Central Mindanao Region. These actions were also in tune with the commemoration of the martial law declaration across the country on September 21, 1972 by late Ferdinand Marcos. The enemy suffered not less than eight killed-in-action and ten wounded-in-action on the said incidents.

September 15, 2018 – Around 2:00 PM, a team of the NPA clashed with operating troops of the 23rd IB in Minpayaw Creek of Sityo Bulak, Brgy. Lower Olave, Buenavista, Agusan del Norte. Two troopers of the 23rd IB were killed-in-action. A day after, at 3PM, another clash happened in the same location and another two troopers of the 23rd IB were killed.

September 16, 2018 – A team of NPA-Bukidnon harassed the AFP troops conducting combat operation in Purok 3, Brgy. San Rafael, Talakag, Bukidnon. One was confirmed dead on the enemy side, 10 were wounded and another trooper got isolated and was spotted in the community afterwards. The clash ensued for two minutes and the NPA team safely withdrew.

September 18, 2018 – At around 5:24 AM, an NPA team in Agusan del Norte harassed the police elements stationed in Brgy. San Mateo, Butuan City. PO1 Ritchel Gulandreno suffered wounds in this incident.

September 18, 2018 -At 5:50 AM, NPA-Misamis Oriental harassed the CAFGU-58th IB detachment in Sityo Palo, Brgy. Minalwang, Claveria, Misamis Oriental.

September 18, 2018 – At 3:40 PM, a unit of NPA-Agusan del Norte blasted a command-detonated explosive (CDX) and harassed the operating troops under the 23rd IB in Brgy. Lower Olave, Buenavista, Agusan del Norte. Three personnel died and four were wounded from the said 23rd IB unit during the incident.

The armed forces were mandated to crush the NPA in the region to clear the forested lands, especially the Lumad areas, for infrastructure projects as requisites for the creeping mining, geothermal and agri-plantation companies.

GRP President Duterte unleashed its sharpest fangs and mailed fist to accelerate the implementation of the interests of foreign companies and local bourgeois compradors who are capitalizing on Duterte’s priority projects at the expense of the peasantry and the Lumads residing in these ancestral lands.

Just like in Marawi City, the military plans to eject the population residing in the forest lands in the region. This is to de-scalp the forest ranges which are mineral-rich and are still fertile and suitable for planting export-oriented crops. Even the sacred sites identified by the NCIP are not spared and are fired up with military campaigns by the AFP.

But the military rule and the capitulation campaign in the region launched by the enemy would never prosper because the reasons why the people chose to bear arms and fight linger on. The economic crisis exemplified by the skyrocketing prices of food and other basic commodities and would further fuel the armed struggle of the people and strengthen the NPA in the region against the exploitative landlords and capitalists, the criminal syndicates taking advantage of the food crisis and other actors which adds to the burden of the poor peasants and workers in the region.