CAMP EVANGELISTA, Cagayan de Oro City — A high-ranking commander of the New People's Army (NPA) and one of its members were killed in a series of military encounters in Bukidnon province on Sunday, June 21, 2026, as joint forces of the 4th Infantry (Diamond) Division conducted sustained operations targeting remnants of a communist terrorist formation in Northern Mindanao.
Three high-powered firearms, along with magazines, ammunition, and a backpack, were recovered following the engagements at Sitio Tagiptip, Barangay Iba, in the municipality of Cabanglasan, and at Sitio Nalumosan, Barangay Silae, in Malaybalay City — both located within Bukidnon province.
The operations were directed at dismantling the leadership and remaining armed elements of the North Central Mindanao Regional Committee (NCMRC), which the military identifies as one of the weakened formations of the Communist Party of the Philippines–NPA–National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF) operating in Northern Mindanao.
Midnight Assault Leads to First Neutralization in Cabanglasan
According to a statement released by the 4th Infantry Division, the first engagement took place during midnight operations when troops of the 1st Special Forces Battalion encountered fleeing NPA remnants at Sitio Tagiptip in Barangay Iba, Cabanglasan.
The encounter resulted in the death of NPA member Edward Pantandon, alias "Wando." Troops also recovered one M16 rifle during the operation.
The 1st Special Forces Battalion troops had been tracking the NPA group as part of the broader coordinated offensive against NCMRC elements in the province. The midnight timing of the operation indicated pre-positioned intelligence had been acting on real-time movements of the rebel group.
Morning Encounter Kills NPA Commander in Malaybalay City
Just hours later, at approximately 11:35 in the morning of the same day, troops of the 8th Infantry Battalion engaged the same group of NPA fighters at Sitio Nalumosan, Barangay Silae, Malaybalay City — also within Bukidnon.
The second encounter resulted in the death of Romeo Manpinsahan, alias "Kakoy," identified by the military as the Commanding Officer of Headquarters Force NEO under the NCMRC. Manpinsahan's rank within the NPA structure places him among the senior leadership of the regional communist formation.
Soldiers recovered two additional high-powered firearms, along with magazines, ammunition, and a backpack believed to contain operational materials. The identity and specific models of the firearms recovered have not been disclosed in the military's initial statement.
Multi-Unit Forces Deployed Across Bukidnon Operations
The series of encounters was not the work of a single unit but a multi-formation effort coordinated across several battalions and specialist companies under the 4th Infantry Division.
According to the 4ID statement, the operations were supported by troops from the 88th Infantry Battalion, the 26th Infantry Battalion, the 41st and 42nd Division Reconnaissance Companies, and artillery assets from the 4th and 7th Field Artillery Battalions. Intelligence support was provided by 4ID intelligence units embedded within the operational area.
The coordinated deployment reflected the military's approach of applying simultaneous pressure on multiple fronts to prevent rebel elements from regrouping or withdrawing to neighboring areas outside the immediate operational zone.
403rd Brigade Commander Cites Declining NPA Operational Capability
Brigadier General Seigfred C. Tubalado, Commander of the 403rd Brigade, said the outcome of the operations underscores the deteriorating strength and operational capability of the NCMRC in Northern Mindanao.
In a statement attributed to him by the 4ID public affairs office, Tubalado said that sustained pressure against the remaining NPA elements in the region has continued to yield results, pointing to the neutralization of a senior commander as evidence that the group's internal hierarchy is being systematically dismantled.
The 403rd Brigade oversees military operations in the Bukidnon area of responsibility, making the June 21 engagements a direct operational output under Tubalado's command.
4ID Commander Links Bukidnon Gains to Northern Mindanao Peace Goals
Major General Marion T. Angcao, Commander of the 4th Infantry Division, issued a separate message emphasizing the broader strategic significance of the Bukidnon operations within the division's peace and security mandate for Northern Mindanao.
In his statement, Angcao connected the Bukidnon results to the recently declared Stable Internal Peace and Security (SIPS) status across the entire Caraga Region — a milestone the military is now working to replicate in Northern Mindanao.
"This development signifies another setback for the NPA. We remain resolute in our mission to dismantle the remaining armed groups and ensure that peace and development continue to flourish in our communities. Following the successful declaration of Stable Internal Peace and Security (SIPS) across the entire Caraga Region, we are determined to sustain the momentum of our peace efforts in Northern Mindanao. We hope to achieve the same milestone in the region through continued collaboration among our forces, local government units, stakeholders, and communities," Angcao said.
The SIPS classification is a benchmark used by the Armed Forces of the Philippines to indicate that communist insurgent activity in a given area has been reduced to a level where civilian governance and development programs can proceed without significant security disruption.
NCMRC Identified as Weakened but Still Active Formation
The North Central Mindanao Regional Committee is described by the 4th Infantry Division as one of the CPP-NPA-NDF's weakened formations still operating in Northern Mindanao. The NCMRC covers portions of Bukidnon and neighboring areas in the Mindanao hinterlands, historically among the areas where NPA activity has been most entrenched due to geographic isolation and rural poverty.
The death of Manpinsahan, as Commanding Officer of Headquarters Force NEO, represents the loss of a senior operational figure within the NCMRC structure. Headquarters Force NEO is described as a component unit under the regional committee's armed wing, responsible for directing ground operations within its designated area of responsibility.
The military's characterization of the NCMRC as a "weakened formation" suggests the group has been subject to sustained attrition over a prolonged campaign, though the 4ID's continued operational tempo in the area indicates that complete neutralization of the formation has not yet been declared.
Continued Operations Expected as Military Sustains Pressure
Based on the statements issued by both Brigadier General Tubalado and Major General Angcao, the 4th Infantry Division has signaled that operations against NCMRC remnants in Bukidnon and neighboring provinces will continue in the coming weeks and months.
The division's stated goal is to achieve SIPS status for Northern Mindanao — a designation that would formally recognize the reduction of communist terrorist activity to a manageable level across the region. Angcao cited cooperation between military units, local government units, community stakeholders, and civilian populations as essential components of the effort.
The June 21, 2026 encounters in Bukidnon bring to at least two the number of NPA fighters killed and three the number of firearms recovered in a single day of operations — figures the 4ID is likely to use as metrics in its ongoing assessment of the NCMRC's remaining combat strength and capacity to sustain armed resistance in Northern Mindanao.
No military casualties were reported in the initial statement released by the 4th Infantry Division as of Monday, June 22, 2026.
Photo credit: Photo courtesy of the Philippine Army / 4th Infantry Division