Joint military forces operating in Bukidnon province neutralized two New People’s Army fighters — including a senior regional commander — during back-to-back combat engagements on Sunday, June 21, 2026, with three high-powered firearms and several other items of military equipment recovered from the scenes of both encounters.
The operations were carried out by multiple units under the 4th Infantry (Diamond) Division, targeting what the military describes as the dwindling remnants of the North Central Mindanao Regional Committee (NCMRC) — an armed formation of the Communist Party of the Philippines–NPA–National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF) still active in parts of Northern Mindanao.
First Contact: Midnight Firefight in Cabanglasan
The first of the two engagements took place during midnight operations at Sitio Tagiptip, Barangay Iba, in the municipality of Cabanglasan, Bukidnon. According to a statement released by the 4th Infantry Division, soldiers from the 1st Special Forces Battalion were tracking a fleeing group of NPA remnants when they made contact with the rebels in the area.
The encounter resulted in the death of NPA member Edward Pantandon, known by the alias “Wando.” One M16 rifle was confiscated by troops following the firefight. The 4ID statement noted that the midnight timing of the operation reflected actionable intelligence that had been developed on the real-time movements of the rebel unit, allowing the battalion to pre-position forces ahead of the engagement.
Second Firefight Kills Senior NPA Commander in Malaybalay City
Hours after the Cabanglasan encounter, a second firefight broke out at approximately 11:35 in the morning at Sitio Nalumosan, Barangay Silae, in Malaybalay City — likewise within Bukidnon province. Troops of the 8th Infantry Battalion engaged what the military believes was the same NPA group that had been pursued since the midnight operation.
The second engagement proved to be the more significant of the two in terms of leadership attrition. Romeo Manpinsahan, alias “Kakoy,” was killed in the clash. The 4th Infantry Division identified Manpinsahan as the Commanding Officer of Headquarters Force NEO, a component unit operating under the NCMRC’s armed structure and responsible for directing ground operations within its designated area. His death represents the elimination of one of the formation’s senior operational figures.
Soldiers recovered two additional high-powered firearms from the site of the second encounter, along with magazines, ammunition, and a backpack believed to contain operational materials. The 4ID’s initial statement did not specify the models of the firearms seized.
Multi-Battalion Forces Coordinated Across Both Engagements
The June 21 operations were not carried out by a single unit acting alone but reflected a coordinated, multi-formation effort across several elements of the 4th Infantry Division. According to the 4ID statement, the operations drew support from the 88th Infantry Battalion, the 26th Infantry Battalion, the 41st and 42nd Division Reconnaissance Companies, and artillery assets from the 4th and 7th Field Artillery Battalions, alongside division-level intelligence units embedded within the operational zone.
This multi-pronged approach was intended to apply simultaneous pressure on rebel elements across different terrain features within Bukidnon, reducing the ability of NPA fighters to regroup or withdraw toward adjacent provinces once initial contact was established.
403rd Brigade Commander Sees Evidence of NCMRC Decline
Brigadier General Seigfred C. Tubalado, Commander of the 403rd Brigade — which holds area of responsibility over Bukidnon — said the results of the June 21 operations are consistent with a pattern of accelerating deterioration within the NCMRC. In statements attributed to him by the 4ID public affairs office, Tubalado said that continuous offensive pressure against the formation’s remaining armed elements has produced measurable results, with the elimination of a senior commander serving as the clearest indicator that the group’s internal hierarchy is being eroded through sustained military action.
The 403rd Brigade has direct oversight of military activities in Bukidnon, making both engagements direct operational outputs under Tubalado’s command authority.
4ID Division Commander Ties Results to Northern Mindanao Peace Agenda
Major General Marion T. Angcao, Commander of the 4th Infantry Division, issued a separate statement placing the Bukidnon operations within the larger strategic context of the division’s peace and security mission across Northern Mindanao.
Angcao pointed to the recent declaration of Stable Internal Peace and Security (SIPS) status across the entire Caraga Region as a benchmark that the 4ID is now working to replicate in Northern Mindanao. The SIPS classification, used by the Armed Forces of the Philippines, formally recognizes that communist insurgent activity in a given area has been reduced to a level at which civilian governance and development work can proceed without material security disruption.
“This development signifies another setback for the NPA. We remain resolute in our mission to dismantle the remaining armed groups and ensure that peace and development continue to flourish in our communities. Following the successful declaration of Stable Internal Peace and Security (SIPS) across the entire Caraga Region, we are determined to sustain the momentum of our peace efforts in Northern Mindanao. We hope to achieve the same milestone in the region through continued collaboration among our forces, local government units, stakeholders, and communities,” Angcao said, as quoted in the 4ID statement.
NCMRC Profile: Weakened But Not Yet Dismantled
The North Central Mindanao Regional Committee covers portions of Bukidnon and neighboring hinterland areas of Mindanao — terrain that has historically provided geographic cover and rural economic conditions conducive to protracted NPA entrenchment. The 4th Infantry Division describes the NCMRC as one of the CPP-NPA-NDF’s weaker surviving formations in Northern Mindanao, though the sustained pace of military operations in the area makes clear that the group has not yet been fully neutralized.
Headquarters Force NEO, the unit Manpinsahan commanded at the time of his death, is described as a component of the NCMRC’s armed wing directly responsible for operational ground activity in its designated zone. The loss of its commanding officer is expected to disrupt the unit’s immediate command and control functions, though the 4ID has not formally declared the unit dissolved or neutralized.
Operations to Continue as Division Pursues SIPS Goal for Northern Mindanao
Based on statements from both Brigadier General Tubalado and Major General Angcao, the 4th Infantry Division has indicated that combat operations against NCMRC remnants in Bukidnon and surrounding provinces will be sustained in the weeks and months ahead. The 4ID has framed these continuing operations as integral to achieving SIPS status for the Northern Mindanao region — a goal that, according to Angcao, will require continued cooperation between military units, local government authorities, civil society stakeholders, and the broader civilian population.
The engagements on June 21, 2026 brought the day’s confirmed tally to two NPA fighters killed and three high-powered firearms recovered — figures the 4ID said it will factor into its ongoing assessment of the NCMRC’s remaining combat capacity and ability to sustain organized armed resistance across the region.
No casualties were reported on the government side in connection with either encounter.
Originally reported by: Camp Evangelista – 4th Infantry Division Public Affairs Office / wire reports
