DAVAO CITY — The 10th Infantry Division (10ID) effectively prevented the New People's Army (NPA) from reinfiltrating the insurgency-free Region 11 through three successive armed encounters in its boundaries on 18 and 24 November 2023.

The 10ID said on Tuesday that during the said operations, the 48th Infantry Battalion (48IB) neutralized Mutong Bago, also known as "Amatung" of the Sub-Regional Sentro De Grabidad (SRSDG) Peddler, North Central Mindanao Regional Committee (NCMRC), on 24 November.

The encounters, which took place at Barangay Kipaypayon and Barangay Lumintao, both in Quezon, Bukidnon, resulted in the recovery of one M16 Rifle and various war materials.

Similarly, the 67IB successfully neutralized alias "Jerby," the commanding officer and Political Instructor of the Regional Sentro De Grabidad (RSDG) of the North Eastern Mindanao Regional Committee (NEMRC), and recovered one M16 rifle during an encounter at Barangay Marfil, Rosario, Agusan Del Sur on 18 November.

BGen. Allan Hambala, commander of the 10ID, emphasized that the NCMRC and NEMRC posed direct threats to an insurgency-free Davao Region as both NPA regional committees attempted to reinfiltrate and reorganize their lost mass base at the boundaries to discredit the government.

"We call on everyone to be consistently vigilant and help the government prevent the NPA infiltration by continuously supporting the government's efforts for peace and development," he added.

From January to date, the 10ID recorded nine armed engagements against the NPA, all outside of Region 11.

In October last year, Davao Region was declared insurgency-free following the series of successful peace and order initiatives that dismantled the remnants of the NPA in the area.