Eastern Mindanao Command (EastMinCom) identified the slain NPA official as Bonifacio Alba Lutawan (alias “Tado”), commanding officer of the Regional Operational Command of the NPA's North Central Mindanao Regional Committee.
EastMinCom said the military under 8th Infantry Battalion was responding to validated intelligence reports and engaged communist Terrorist Group (CTG) members led by Lutawan at Sitio Tacocon, La Paz.
The military also captured an M-653 rifle. Lutawan’s identity was confirmed through information provided by former rebels.
Court records indicate that Lutawan had multiple pending criminal cases before various Regional Trial Courts in Northern Mindanao, including charges for murder, frustrated murder, attempted murder, and direct assault, with a total of 20 criminal cases filed in Bukidnon, Misamis Oriental, and Cagayan de Oro City.
Security reports and documented incident records also linked elements under Lutawan’s operational control to previous violent incidents in Bukidnon between 2021 and 2022.
These included a reported harassment by fire against a temporary military patrol base in the Pantaron Range that resulted in one soldier wounded, as well as alleged abduction-related killings and intimidation incidents involving civilians in upland communities. These incidents remain subject to appropriate investigative and judicial processes.
The encounter took place in a known CTG movement corridor along the Agusan del Sur–Bukidnon boundary. Military authorities said the neutralization of the key operational leader significantly disrupts the command and control capability of the NCMRC within the Joint Operational Area of Eastern Mindanao Command.
Lt. Gen. Adonis Ariel G. Orio, EastMinCom Commander said the successful engagements show that the sustained operations are effectively dismantling the remaining armed capability of the CTGs.
EASTMINCOM reaffirms its commitment to sustaining security gains and advancing a stable environment where peace and development can take root across its Joint Operational Area. The Command continues to work closely with partner agencies and local government units to ensure that affected communities are supported toward long-term stability and inclusive growth.
Photo: 8th Infantry "Dependable" Battalion, PA