Claveria, Misamis Oriental — Government troops recovered three high-powered firearms in Gingoog City after a former rebel voluntarily led soldiers to a hidden arms cache, highlighting what the military described as growing trust in the government’s peace and reintegration efforts.
The 58th Infantry (Dimalulupig) Battalion of the Philippine Army, led by Lieutenant Colonel Leoncito I. Grezula Jr., recovered the weapons on December 13, 2025, in Sitio Mangelit, Barangay Bal-ason, Gingoog City. The operation followed a custodial debriefing in which surrenderer Mario Romano Alicanio, alias “Zero,” disclosed the exact location of the concealed firearms.
Recovered were one ELISCO M16 rifle with an attached grenade launcher and one HK416 A5 rifle—both considered high-powered weapons. The military said the recovery underscores the effectiveness of intelligence derived from voluntary surrender and cooperation by former members of the Communist Terrorist Group (CTG).
Lt. Col. Grezula commended Alicanio for his decision to abandon armed struggle and assist authorities, noting that such actions reflect the impact of the government’s whole-of-nation approach to peacebuilding. He emphasized the role of the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-CLIP) in encouraging former rebels to return to the fold of the law and help neutralize remaining security threats.
The 58th Infantry Battalion renewed its call for remaining CTG members to lay down their arms and avail themselves of government programs aimed at reintegration, livelihood support, and a peaceful, productive future within their communities.