DAVAO CITY—The Philippine Army’s 10th Infantry Division is chasing the last remaining members of the New People’s Army Southern Mindanao Regional Committee which numbers only 10 armed members.
“We are now in the effort na ma-dismantle ang Southern Mindanao Regional Committee as a whole,” says Major Ruben Gadut, spokesperson of the 10th Infantry Division.
At its peak it used to have 16 Guerilla Fronts, company-sized units with each company having 60-80 members. It also has 9 vertical units composed of armed guerrillas responsible for ambuscades and harassments. The committee also has sub-regional committees or SRCs.
“Tanan, kani sila na dismantle namo (All, we dismantled them),” Gadut said.
“If we could dismantle the SMRC, kita ang pinaka-una maka dismantle ug party regional committee,” Gadut said.
(We would be the first to totally dismantle a party regional committee).
The 10th ID spokesperson said that in the latter part of 2024 the SMRC had about 20 remnants and were operating in the Caraga Region.
“By the end of 2024 we were able to lower their number to 10,” Gadut said.
In December 8 an armed confrontation took place between troops of the 701st Infantry Brigade and the remnants in Sito Manawi, Barangay Simulao in the town of Boston, Davao Oriental. The soldiers recovered a grenade launcher and medical kits.
There were no casualties on the government side and the SMRC combatants dispersed in different directions
Gadut said in the Boston encounter, they thwarted an attempt by the SMRC to enter Davao Region.
On December 28, a joint police-military operation resulted in the arrest of two SMRC members in Talomo, Davao City.
He added that they have downgraded the once formidable local terrorist group unit to inconsequential level and are no longer capable of conducting ambuscades and raids.
With the reduction of the SMRC threat, Gadut expects a peaceful elections in Davao Region.
“Since 2022 wala na tay (we have no more) extortion activities perpetrated by the Southern Mindanao Regional Committee,” Gadut said. (PIA/RGA)
