CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY — A top female commander of the New People’s Army (NPA) with a reported P5.3-million bounty on her capture and three other guerrillas were killed in an encounter with government troops in Barangay Bakingking, Esperanza, Agusan del Sur, on Saturday.

A report from the Philippine Army’s 403rd Infantry Brigade identified the slain NPA leader as Julia Cagadas, alias “Ka Reda.”

She was identified as a top NPA leader in Region 10 and secretary of the North Central Mindanao Regional Committee (NCMRC).

Also killed were Junie Mansiguiao, alias “Kikoy”; Gerald Basason, alias “Doydoy”; and Rocha Mae Mirafuentes Bihag, alias “Maki.”

The military said firearms, including high-powered assault rifles, were recovered from the slain NPA members following the encounters.

The military also placed a reported P5.3-million bounty on Cagadas, although the specific legal and administrative basis of the reward was not detailed in the information provided.

Series of encounters

According to the military’s account, the operation involved a series of encounters with an NPA group led by Cagadas.

The first clash took place on 10 September 2026, when troops of the 26th Infantry Battalion encountered NPA members in the vicinity of Palili Creek in Barangay Bakingking.

That initial encounter reportedly lasted for more than an hour. Initial reports at the time indicated that there were no confirmed casualties among government forces or the armed group.

The situation escalated two days later.

On the morning of 12 September, troops from the 1st Special Forces Battalion engaged members of the group, resulting in the death of Mansiguiao, alias “Kikoy.”

Soldiers recovered two firearms from the area, while three members of the armed group surrendered along with their firearms, according to the military.

The encounter reportedly resulted in the deaths of three more NPA members — Cagadas, Basason and Bihag — and the recovery of three additional firearms.

This brought the reported number of NPA fatalities from the series of encounters to four, while three others surrendered.

The incident comes despite the Stable Internal Peace and Security (SIPS) status declared in Caraga, prompting the military to emphasize that SIPS does not mean an area is completely free of security threats.

In a statement issued through Joint Task Force Diamond and the 4th Infantry Division, the military said the 10 September encounter demonstrated the ability of communities operating under the SIPS framework to identify emerging threats and coordinate with authorities.

The military stressed that SIPS is intended to signify a level of stability where civilian authorities, communities and other stakeholders take the lead in sustaining peace and development, while security forces remain prepared to respond to emerging threats.

The bodies of three of those killed were reportedly brought to a funeral home in Esperanza. The body of Cagadas, meanwhile, was transported to Bukidnon at the request of her family.

Military pursuit operations continued after the clashes as government forces tracked other members of the group who reportedly escaped from the area.

The incident highlights the continuing security challenges faced by remote communities even as authorities maintain that Caraga has achieved significant gains in internal peace and security.

While the military maintains that the encounters do not constitute a resurgence of insurgency in the region, the presence of armed NPA remnants in a previously cleared area underscores the need for continued coordination among security forces, local governments and communities to prevent armed groups from regaining a foothold.