THE top leader of the New People’s Army (NPA) in the Caraga region was killed after a series of clashes with government troopers in Butuan City, Agusan del Norte last Wednesday.
“The reign of terror and the root cause of terrorism in Mindanao came to an end with the death of Myrna Sularte, alias Maria Malaya,” said Army chief Lt. Gen. Roy Galido.
Sularte, who is in her 70s, is the secretary of the NPA’s Northeastern Mindanao Regional Party Committee and a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of the Philippines.
“Her neutralization is the most sought-after justice of the loved ones of those countless innocent Filipinos whose lives were wasted as a result of the CTGs’ (communist terrorist group’s) deceptive, futile, violent, and self-serving power struggle to undermine the country’s democracy,” said Galido.
The military said Sularte has pending criminal cases, including rebellion, destructive arson, robbery with double homicide, damage to property, kidnapping and serious illegal detention, robbery in band, murder, multiple murders, and frustrated murder, all committed in Caraga.
She was the widow of Jorge “Ka Oris” Madlos, the prominent leader of the NPA’s National Operations Command, who died in a similar clash with soldiers in Bukidnon in October 2021. Madlos is blamed for several atrocities in the region.
Troops under the 901st Brigade initially clashed with Sularte’s group at 6:20 a.m. in Sitio Tugali, Barangay Pianing in Butuan City, said Brig. Gen. Michele Anayron, commander of the Army’s 4th Infantry Division.
Anayron said the rebels managed to escape but were engaged by another group of soldiers in the same barangay at 6:29 a.m.
The two encounters led to the seizure of “numerous items and personal belongings.”
At around 1:30 p.m., Anayron said another group of soldiers caught up with the retreating rebels also in Barangay Pianing, leading to the death of Sularte.
Anayron said government troops have been pursuing the group of Sularte since last year. “Slowly, we were able to constrict her maneuver space on Wednesday, we were able to hit her group,” Anayron said.
Anayron said the death of Sularte will further weaken the NPA in Caraga. He said there are only around 90 NPA rebels in the region, down from around 400 in 2018 when the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict was established.
Anayron said it was “unfortunate” that Sularte suffered the same fate as Madlos and their son, Vincent, an NPA member who was killed in another encounter with soldiers in Bukidnon in September 2022.
“We have offered them the path of peace countless times, yet they have never listened or given us a chance. Instead, they continue to victimize innocent civilians and bring terror to our communities,” said Anayron.
“We fervently hope that Malaya’s death will be the final straw, leading to the total surrender of the remaining members and the eventual end of the communist terrorist group in our area of responsibility,” Anayron added.
Galido said the death of Sularte “marks a new era and a beacon of hope in the quest for lasting peace and genuine progress not just in Mindanao but throughout the country.”
“Let this be a pivotal step towards true healing and reconciliation as we reaffirm our commitment to serving the people and securing the land,” said Galido.
Brig. Gen. Arsenio Sadural, commander of the 901st Brigade, described Sularte as a “notorious leader of the communist terrorist group and one of the most wanted commanders of the New People’s Army in the country.”
“We have finally brought an end to the reign of terror in Caraga, led by Malaya (Sularte)” said Sadural.
Referring to the death of Sularte, Lt. Gen. Luis Bergante, commander of the military’s Eastern Mindanao Command, said: “It is unfortunate that things had to end this way.
“Over the past few months, we have made numerous attempts to reach out to her,” added Bergante.
