NORTHERN Mindanao is set to be declared under a state of Stable Internal Peace and Security (SIPS) following the death of top communist insurgent leader Julia Cagadas, alias Rheda, and the collapse of the North Central Mindanao Regional Committee (NCMRC) leadership structure.
Military authorities and local government officials announced the breakthrough during a joint press conference on Sunday, Sept. 13, 2026, at the 403rd Infantry Brigade headquarters in Camp Osito D. Bahian, Malaybalay City.
The briefing was led by 4th Infantry Division commander MGEN Marion T. Angcao, 403rd Infantry Brigade commander BGEN Siegfred C. Tubalado, and 8th Infantry Battalion commander LTCOL Ramiro Jallorina, alongside operational battalion commanders.
Also present to back the peace milestone were Bukidnon 2nd District Representative Jonathan Keith Flores and Agusan del Sur Mayor Deo Manpatilan Jr.
Jallorina detailed that the operation stemmed from timely civilian tips reporting the presence of around nine armed insurgents in the area.
In response, troops under the 403rd Infantry Brigade—including the 8th Infantry Battalion (8IB), 1st Special Forces Battalion (1SFBn), 88th Infantry Battalion, 26th Infantry Battalion, and the 4th Division Reconnaissance Battalion—executed joint pursuit and focused military operations targeting the NCMRC’s Headquarters Force (HQF) Neo.
A total of six armed engagements occurred along the hinterland boundary:
- Sept. 10: Initial contact occurred in Esperanza, Agusan del Sur, triggering sustained joint pursuit operations.
- Sept. 11–12: Subsequent firefights led by the 1SFBn resulted in the neutralization of Jonny Almonte Lindayo (alias Kikoy/Bugkoy), Ordnance Officer of HQF Neo, and led to the voluntary surrender of three insurgents after they descended to a nearby barangay.
- Follow-up clash: Encounters involving the 8IB resulted in the death of three additional insurgents, including Julia Cagadas (alias Rheda / Toyang / Yoko / Kayuka), the Regional Secretary of the NCMRC who carried a ₱5.3 million bounty on her head.
Jallorina noted that within four of the encounters, troops successfully neutralized Cagadas and recovered six high-powered firearms—consisting of three M653 rifles, two M16 rifles, and one R4 rifle—along with critical war materiel.
In total, four insurgents were killed during the engagements:
- Julia Cagadas (alias Rheda/Toyang/Yoko/Kayuka) – Regional Secretary, NCMRC
- Rochamae Bihag (alias Maki) – Executive Committee Member for Education and Propaganda (ED/PROD) / Finance
- Jonny Almonte Lindayo (alias Kikoy/Bugkoy) – Ordnance Officer, HQF Neo
- Gerald Basahon (alias Doydoy) – Member, Squad 2, HQF Neo
The bodies of the slain insurgents were processed by the Police Regional Office Caraga Scene of the Crime Operatives (SOCO) for legal documentation and family notification.
Meanwhile, three NCMRC members surrendered to government forces:
- Cherelyn Cuarisma Magsayo (alias Lian) – Signal Communication Officer, Executive Committee
- Marilyn D. Taquin (alias Mayumi/Mayang) – Squad 1 Member, HQF Neo
- Angelito Tahal Torres (alias Erin) – Platoon Medic / Team Leader, HQF Neo
Military and command assessments
Angcao emphasized the criminal record of the neutralized regional committee, noting that the group faced at least 11 active criminal cases, including multiple murder, double murder with multiple frustrated murder, extortion, and attempted murder.
“They are notorious, but we will make sure that their bodies are treated with dignity and that their families are accorded respect,” Maj. Gen. Angcao assured.
Military assessments indicate that sustained pressure and denial of support networks had left the NCMRC facing severe food scarcity and logistical depletion.
This forced Cagadas’s group to move toward Esperanza in search of supplies, exposing their position to operating forces.
Also in a statement, Eastern Mindanao Command (EastMinCom) commander LTGEN Adonis Ariel G. Orio praised the participating ground units for their operational discipline, highlighting that this operation builds on earlier gains—such as the June 21, 2026, neutralization of Romeo Manpinsahan (alias Kakoy/Yuman), commanding Officer of HQF Neo.
“The neutralization of the NCMRC regional secretary represents another significant milestone in our sustained campaign against the remaining Communist Terrorist Group elements in Northern Mindanao,” Lt. Gen. Orio stated. “As the organization’s highest remaining leader, the loss of its Regional Secretary significantly disrupts the NCMRC’s ability to exercise effective command, maintain organizational cohesion, regenerate forces, and sustain armed operations.”
With the group’s leadership, finance, ordnance, communications, and medical personnel either killed or in custody, military authorities confirm that the operational structure of the NCMRC has been effectively dismantled, clearing the path for Region 10’s formal declaration of Stable Internal Peace and Security.
