TALAKAG, Bukidnon — In a development seen by authorities as another blow to insurgent influence in Northern Mindanao, three members of the Militiang Bayan (MB) linked to the Sub-Regional Committee 5 of the North Central Mindanao Regional Committee voluntarily surrendered to government forces on Friday.
The surrender took place at around 12:30 p.m. at the headquarters of the 1004th Maneuver Company in Tagbak, Talakag, Bukidnon. The individuals—one male and two females, all residents of Talakag—turned over two improvised shotguns and one improvised handgun to the authorities.
According to police reports, the surrender was facilitated by intelligence operatives of the 1004th Maneuver Company with support from the Bukidnon Provincial Intelligence Unit and the Bukidnon Provincial Intelligence Team. Officials said the operation was the result of intensified intelligence-driven efforts aimed at weakening the remaining networks of Communist Terrorist Groups (CTGs) operating in parts of the province.
Authorities noted that sustained monitoring, intelligence coordination, and community engagement played a critical role in persuading the three individuals to abandon armed activities and return to civilian life.
Police officials described the surrender as a significant step in ongoing efforts to dismantle insurgent structures and prevent further recruitment in vulnerable communities in Bukidnon and nearby areas of Northern Mindanao.
The development aligns with the security agenda of Jose Melencio C. Nartatez Jr., chief of the Philippine National Police, and follows the operational direction of Christopher Ni Abrahano, regional director of Police Regional Office 10.
Officials said the continued surrender of members affiliated with insurgent groups indicates that sustained law enforcement pressure, coupled with localized intelligence operations, is gradually eroding the operational capability and influence of CTGs in Northern Mindanao.
Authorities reiterated their call for remaining members of armed groups to lay down their weapons and avail themselves of government programs aimed at reintegration and community support, stressing that the government remains committed to restoring peace, stability, and security across Bukidnon and neighboring provinces.