MALAYBALAY CITY — Authorities are now waiting for the family of a New People’s Army (NPA) leader to claim his body, which remains at a funeral home in Malaybalay City following his death in an armed encounter with government forces.
The deceased was identified as alias “Ivan,” Team Leader of Squad B, Headquarters, Force Neo under the North Central Mindanao Committee, based on initial military reports.
Alias Ivan was killed during an encounter with troops on January 12, 2026, in the mountainous area of Barangay Kasapa 2, La Paz, Agusan del Sur, near the boundary of Bukidnon province. He reportedly sustained multiple gunshot wounds, resulting in his instant death at the scene.
After the clash, authorities immediately transported the body to Villanueva Funeral Homes in Malaybalay City for proper handling, documentation, and identification. As of this writing, the family has yet to retrieve the remains.
Military sources said the encounter occurred after troops engaged suspected NPA elements operating in the area. Details on whether firearms or other war materials were recovered are still being validated, while clearing and security operations continue in nearby communities.
The military once again urged remaining members of the Communist Terrorist Group (CTG) to abandon the armed struggle and avail of government programs for reintegration, stressing that continued violence only brings grief to families and instability to communities.
The incident is part of ongoing intensified operations by security forces in the Agusan del Sur–Bukidnon boundary aimed at dismantling remaining NPA groups in the region.