GENERAL SANTOS CITY - The Police Regional Office in Soccsksargen (PRO-12) has placed 45 municipalities and four cities under the "election areas of concern" in connection with the upcoming May 9 local and national polls. Lt. Col. Maria Joyce Birrey, PRO-12 spokesperson, said Monday that of the total hotspots, seven are placed under the red category or areas of grave concern. "Twenty-five other areas are placed under the orange category or immediate concern where there is a serious armed threat, while four areas are under category yellow or have a history of election-related incidents in the past elections and possible presence of partisan armed groups," Birrey said. Meanwhile, 13 areas in the region are placed under the green category or areas that do not have security concerns, and are generally peaceful and orderly. Birrey said the Philippine National Police was earlier tasked by the Department of the Interior and Local Government to identify election hotspots to
CLOSING IN. Brig. Gen. Jesus Durante III, commander of the Army's 1001st Infantry Brigade, says Eric Jun Casilao, the remaining officer of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's Army (CPP-NPA) operating in Southern Mindanao, will soon be captured. In a press briefing Monday in Davao City, Durante said government troops have monitored Casilao's whereabouts in New Bataan and Maragusan towns. (PNA photo by Che Palicte) MACO, Davao de Oro-The remaining high ranking officer of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People's Army (CPP-NPA) in Southern Mindanao is "very close" to being captured, a military official said Monday. Brig. Gen. Jesus Durante III, commander of the Army's 1001st Infantry Brigade (1001IB), said in a press briefing here government troops are closing in on Eric Jun Casilao, the secretary of the Southern Mindanao Regional Committee (SMRC). Casilao, who carries the aliases "Elian" or "Wally," is the brothe
REBEL WEAPONS RECOVERED. A soldier of the Army's 53rd Infantry Battalion checks the firearms of communist rebels unearthed Saturday (March 26, 2022) in the forest of Barangay Ocapan, San Miguel, Zamboanga del Sur. The location of the weapons was revealed to the military by a New People's Army rebel leader who surrendered last week. (Photo courtesy of the 53IB) ZAMBOANGA CITY - Government troops have unearthed an arms cache of the New People's Army (NPA) rebels in the hinterlands of Zamboanga del Sur, the military said Monday. Brig. Gen. Leonel Nicolas, the Army's 102nd Infantry Brigade commander, said the arms cache that contained five AK-47 assault rifles and ammunition was discovered Saturday by the 53rd Infantry Battalion (IB) troopers in the forested area of Barangay Ocapan in San Miguel municipality. Nicolas said the location of the firearms was revealed to them during the custodial debriefing of Ka Andoy, an executive committee member of the NPA's Western Mind
City Hall of Zamboanga. (PNA file photo) ZAMBOANGA CITY - Everything is set for the caravan and grand rally Tuesday of the UniTeam presidential candidate Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. and vice presidential bet Mayor Sara Duterte in this southern port city. Esnaen Catong, Partido Federal ng Pilipinas (PFP) regional president, said Monday the grand rally will be preceded by a caravan of the UniTeam supporters from the Zamboanga International Airport (ZIA) to the rally venue, the Summit Center of the Universidad de Zamboanga (UZ) in Barangay Tetuan. "We arranged everything, including traffic management as well as route and venue security and it's a go," Catong said. Col. Alexander Lorenzo, city police director, also said Monday that they already met with the coordinator of the UniTeam concerning security measures. Local candidates affiliated with the UniTeam are also expected to join Tuesday's caravan and grand rally of the BBM-Sara tandem. Two local politica
RECOVERED FIREARMS. Troopers from the Army's 1001st Infantry Brigade present the various high-powered firearms after an encounter with the New People's Army (NPA) on Sunday (March 27, 2022) in Barangay Tupaz Maragusan, Davao de Oro. The skirmish also resulted in the death of three NPA members from the Regional Operations Command, Southern Mindanao Regional Committee. (PNA photo by Che Palicte) MACO, Davao de Oro - Three New People's Army (NPA) rebels were killed in an encounter with government forces in Barangay Tupaz Maragusan, Davao de Oro, the military here reported Monday. In a press briefing, the Army's 1001st Infantry Brigade 1001(Bde) reported that while on focused military operations, troopers figured in an armed encounter Sunday with the combatants of the NPA's Regional Operations Command (ROC), Southern Mindanao Regional Committee (SMRC). Brig. Gen. Jesus Durante III, the 1001Bde commander, identified the slain NPA fighters as Ezequil Cortez Daguman alias