THE Philippine Army’s 58th Infantry Battalion, 401st Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, together with the local government of Gingoog City, joined hands in facilitating the return to their families and the giving of decent burial to two slain members of the communist terrorist group (CTGs) after the early morning, 20-minutes firefight in the hinterlands of Bgy. Lunotan, Gingoog City, last Thursday, August 11, 2022.
The soldiers initiated the ‘focus military operation’ (FMO) after being informed by civilians on the presence of armed men in the area.
Two assault rifles with ammunition were also initially recovered by the 58TH IB.
1Lt. Vincent Mark Maddul, 58TH IB civil-military officer, said with the help of former CTGs, they also managed to identifies the two as, Lita Ayuma Sereno, aka, ‘Mayren’ and, Loui Tayoy Sereno alias ‘Marmo,’ both from Sub-Regional Committee 1 (SRC-1), North Central Mindanao Regional Committee (NCMRC) of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP).
The cadavers underwent postmortem investigation by the PNP-SOCO, Gingoog City Police Station, and Dr. Maria Maridel Babanto of the City Health Unit, prior to their turnover to their immediate families.
Despite the deadly encounter, soldiers did not abandon their fallen enemies but took turns in bringing the bodies of the Serenos to lower ground for identification and return to their families.
Maddul added the cadavers have been brought to the St. Peter Funeral Homes, National Highway, Brgy. 20, Gingoog City, Misamis Oriental the next day on August 12, 2022.
“Yet again, lives were lost in the war against the Communist Terrorist Group,” said Lt. Col. Ricky L. Canatoy, Commanding Officer of the 58th Infantry Battalion in a brief statement.
“I am urging all NPA (New People’s Army) members who are still hiding in the hinterlands to come down in peace, lay down their arms, and return to the folds of the law while time and opportunity still exist,” the official added.