SOLDIERS of the 67th Infantry (Agila) Battalion, operating under the 701st Infantry (Kagitingan) Brigade, discovered and retrieved the cadaver of a slain Communist NPA Terrorist (CNT) at Sitio Paradise, Barangay Santa Juana, Tagbina, Surigao del Sur, on Sunday, December 31, 2023.
The 67IB troops, along with police personnel from the Tagbina Municipal Police Station, immediately turned over the cadaver to the Local Government Unit of Tagbina for proper burial and disposition. However, due to the advanced state of decomposition, the identity of the slain CNT cannot be determined.
The soldiers conducted clearing operations after the encounter that transpired on December 26 in the same vicinity against the Communist Terrorist Group (CTG) belonging to Regional Sentro de Grabidad, North Eastern Mindanao Regional Committee (RSDG, NEMRC), wherein Joedil Cayapos Virtudazo, also known as “Jerby” or “Janjalani,” a Political Officer of the said unit, was neutralized.
According to Lieutenant Colonel Edwin I Pia, 67IB Commanding Officer, the cadaver was discovered approximately 120 meters away from the encounter site and was left behind by his fleeing comrades.
Meanwhile, Brigadier General Allan D Hambala, Commander of the 10th Infantry (Agila) Division, expressed sorrow at the tragic situation where one of their comrades was left on the battlefield and eventually succumbed to the harsh conditions. He emphasized the missed opportunity for a peaceful resolution, stating, “If only they had heeded our call to surrender, their lives would have been saved.”
