THE 36th Infantry Battalion (36IB) confirmed the death of the New People's Army leader in Surigao del Sur.
The 36IB, in a statement, identified the top NPA rebel as Noel Tumarlas Alacre, the commanding officer of Platoon 2, Weakened Guerilla Front 30 (WGF30), North Eastern Mindanao Regional Committee (NEMRC) of the NPA.
Alacre, according to the 36IB, has 28 warrants of arrest for numerous criminals cases, including 12 counts of murder, eight counts of attempted murder, three counts of frustrated murder, two counts of slight illegal detention, one count of kidnapping and serious illegal detention, one for arson, and one for abduction.
Alacre's remains were retrieved on September 16, 2022 along a riverbank at Sitio Maitom in Barangay Mahanon, Tandag City, Surigao del Sur. The troops also recovered one R4A3, steel and plastic rifle magazines with live ammunition, rifle grenades, cellular phones, and personal items.
According to the 36IB, around four unidentified personalities burned three motorcycles and fired multiple gunshots along Maitom road on September 15.
The troops, led by the Mahanon Civilian Active Auxiliary and 36IB, pursued the unidentified suspects and recovered the body of Alacre along the river bank.
Brig. Gen. George Banzon, commander of the 901st Infantry Brigade, said the rebels under the communist terrorist group are "nothing but fugitives and lawless arsonist-terrorist with no dignity."
"[They have] no regard for human life just to secure themselves, insisting their twisted propaganda, and fooling the populace of their failed ideology," Banzon said. (SunStar Philippines)