4th Infantry Division plays teacher, tour guide to children in Mindanao

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / Sept. 16, 2010) – The Philippine Army’s 4th Infantry Division has opened its doors to school children, allowing them to tour the sprawling camp in Cagayan de Oro City in northern Mindanao.

Officials said it was part of a commitment to reach out to children and inspire them to become responsible citizens and at the same time educate them about the role of the military in peacekeeping efforts and as a partner in nation-building.

The children were amazed by sights of armor tanks and howitzer cannons and even posed for photos with soldiers who acted as their guides and storytellers. Troops led by Major General Victor Felix, the commander of the 4th Infantry Division, warmly welcomed and interacted and mingled with the children.

“The 4th Infantry Division personnel proved that they are not only the protectors of the land, but they are also their partners in community and nation-building and that these children and their parents can depend on them in their dream of having a better and brighter atmosphere that is viable for their growth and well-being,” said Lieutenant Colonel Triumph Bagaipo, the army spokesman.

He said through these efforts, troops are leading the way in showing their concern and commitment to the children in also helping promote a better environment and opportunity for them to live peacefully and harmoniously as the future and hope of the country.

Bagaipo said as part of the army’s commitment, it would provide support to the Batang Himsog Program, an in-school health and nutrition feeding and livelihood program and initiative of the Anak Mindanao party list group.

The program is also in partnership with the Department of Education, the local government units and the Katilingbanong Pamahandi sa Mindanaw Foundation Incorporated. It aims to help lessen and slowly eradicate malnutrition in rural villages in Misamis Oriental province.

The program aims to address the problem of malnutrition by providing daily breakfast to at least 4,000 Grade 1 pupils in 85 schools of Gingoog City, Claveria, Magsaysay and Misoret town.

“The 4th Infantry Division is optimistic in this program that could help children in the rural areas to receive proper nutrition and education so that they can become healthy and ready to take on any challenge and opportunity that they shall meet as they grow up,” Bagaipo said. (Mindanao Examiner)

Troops recover explosives cache in South RP

Photos released by the Philippine Army’s 4th Infantry Division shows two unidentified soldiers arranging dynamites troops recovered in Surigao del Sur’s Tagbina town. (Mindanao Examiner)

DAVAO CITY, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / Sept. 7, 2010) – Philippine troops recovered dozens of dynamite sticks believed left behind by communist rebels in the southern province of Surigao del Sur, officials said Tuesday.

Officials said troops from the 75th and 23rd Infantry Battalions stumbled upon the cache of explosives on a trail frequented by rebels in the village of Santa Juana in Tagbina town.

“We have recovered a total of 68 sticks of dynamite. The recovery of these explosives saves a lot of life. The New People’s Army rebels have been using explosives to attack military and civilian targets in the southern Philippines,” said Army Lieutenant Colonel Triumph Dominic Bagaipo, a spokesman for the 4th Infantry Division.

He said more troops have been deployed in the province to hunt down the rebels who were behind the spate of attacks in recent months. The rebels are fighting for decades for the establishment of a Maoist state in the country. (With a report from Geo Solmerano)

Troops clash with NPA rebels in South RP; 2 dead, 3 wounded

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / Aug. 29, 2010) – Government troops killed a female member of the communist rebel group New People’s Army in a series of clashes in the southern Filipino province of Surigao del Sur, officials said Sunday.

Officials said one soldier was also killed and three more wounded in Saturday fighting that broke out in the village of Mahaba in the town of Marihatag.

“The encounters resulted to the death of one female terrorist and the recovery of one M16 rifle from the terrorists while for the government side one soldier died and one wounded and two others sustained superficial wounds,” said Lieutenant Colonel Triumph Bagaipo, a spokesman for the Army’s 4th Infantry Division.

Quoting field reports, Bagaipo said the first fighting lasted more than 30 minutes and this was followed by two more sporadic clashes later in the day.
Bagaipo said the fighting erupted after patrolling troops, acting on reports of villagers about the presence of rebels, ran into a band of New People’s Army gunmen.

“While we grieve and deeply sympathize with the family of our fallen hero and so with the family of the New People’s Army rebel, it is our wish for the New People’s Army to heed the government’s call for lasting peace. We at 4th Infantry Division are more than willing to sit down and talk about lasting peace,” said Major General Victor Felix, a regional army commander.

The NPA is the armed wing of the outlawed Communist Party of the Philippines which is fighting for decades now for the establishment of a Maoist state in the country. (Mindanao Examiner)

NPA rebels kill soldier in Mindanao clash

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / Aug. 26, 2010) – Communist rebels killed a government soldier in a clash Thursday in the southern Philippine province of Bukidnon, officials said.

Officials said the fighting erupted after troops ran into a group of New People’s Army rebels in the village of Santa Filomena in Quezon town.

The fighting, which lasted more than half an hour, left a still undetermined number of rebels dead and wounded, said Army Lieutenant Colonel Triumph Bagaipo, a spokesman for the 4th Infantry Division.

“The troops were on combat patrol towards when the firefight broke out that lasted for about 35 minutes until the terrorists withdrew. Santa Filomena is considered as a guerilla base of the local terrorist operating in the area. It is from this community that they get their much-needed logistical and financial support through extortion from sugar cane and corn growers,” he said.

Bagaipo did not say whether more soldiers were wounded in the fighting, but said troops had been ordered to track down the rebels.

It was the second fighting between security and rebel forces since Tuesday in northern Mindanao. Communist rebels also killed five army soldiers in a firefight Tuesday in the village of Fortuna in Agusan del Sur's Veruela town. The clash broke out after dozens of rebels attacked a military detachment.

The New People’s Army is the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines which is fighting for decades now for the establishment of a Maoist state in the country. (Mindanao Examiner)

5 soldiers killed in NPA attack in Southern Philippines

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / Aug. 24, 2010) - Communist rebels killed at least five government soldiers in a clash early Tuesday in the southern Philippines, officials said.

Officials said one soldier was also wounded in the fighting that erupted in the village of Fortuna in Agusan del Sur's Veruela town. The clash broke out after dozens of New People’s Army rebels attacked a military detachment.

The fighting lasted several minutes and only stopped after rebels retreated to the hills. It was not immediately known whether any of the attackers were wounded or killed in the clash.

“There is an operation going on aimed at tracking down the rebels in the province,” said Lieutenant Colonel Triumph Dominic Bagaipo, a spokesman for the Army’s 4th Infantry Division.

There New People’s Army, armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines, is fighting for decades now for the establishment of a Maoist state in the country. (With reports from Merlyn Manos and Becky de Asis)