Google map of Buenavista, Agusan del Norte. BUTUAN CITY - Troopers from the Army's 23rd Infantry Battalion (IB) on Wednesday afternoon overran a New People's Army (NPA) hideout after an encounter in Sitio Taub, Barangay Rizal, Buenavista, Agusan del Norte. Lt. Col. Julius Cesar Paulo, the 23IB commander, told the Philippine News Agency Thursday that their troops were conducting focused military operations in the area in response to the reports of civilians on the presence of the NPA insurgents when the clash broke out. "After the 10-minute armed encounter, the rebels abandoned their position as they scampered to different directions," Paulo said. He said the rebels were led by a certain Rogelio Gerondio alias Napnap of the Sub-Regional Sentro De Grabidad Sagay of the NPA North Central Mindanao Regional Committee (NCMRC). Paulo said the NPAs had been using the hideout for the past several days as they conducted their terrorist activities in Barangay Rizal. "Our tr
VACCINATED. An Army officer of the 23rd Infantry Battalion (23IB) assists in the vaccination of one of the 30 Civilian Armed Forces Geographical Unit and 17 former communist rebels who availed of the government's Bayanihan, Bakunahan campaign inside the military unit's headquarters in Buenavista, Agusan del Norte on Wednesday (Dec. 1, 2021). The 23IB also deployed troopers in its areas of responsibility to provide support to the Nov. 29 to Dec. 1, 2021 national vaccination activity. (Photo courtesy of 23IB) BUTUAN CITY - At least 30 members of the military's Civilian Armed Forces Geographical Unit (CAFGU) and 17 former rebels from Agusan del Norte have received their coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) vaccine shots during the three-day massive Bayanihan, Bakunahan campaign, the Army's 23rd Infantry Battalion (23IB) said Thursday. In a statement, Lt. Col. Julius Cesar Paulo, the 23IB commander, said the unit opened its headquarters in Barangay Alubihid, Buenavista, Agus