CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY — Major General Jose T Barbieto AFP, Commanding General of the 4th Infantry (Diamond) Division, Philippine Army gave the green light for the Division Public Affairs Office/CMO Company led by Major Samuel C Sagun (INF) PA and ABS-CBN Northern Mindanao TV Patrol Team of Alden Bacal (anchor) and Elmer Octobre (cameraman) to join a combat patrol (night & day) led by 1Lt Genesis Gabrido (INF) PA and 2Lt Jhordane Sumabong (INF) PA of Bravo Company, 8th Infantry (Dependable) Battalion, Philippine Army under LTC Eric C Vinoya (INF) PA in Salay, Misamis Oriental from 10 to 11 March 2007.
This marked the first time 4ID, PA officially sanctioned (1) a media entity embedded in actual combat operation, (2) first combat journalists (Division Public Affairs Office personnel) to join a combat operations and (3) first female soldiers (2Lt Tala Nool and Pvts Jazzie Dela Cerna & Janice Raagas) to join a night and day combat operations.
For this year alone, DPAO has brought media entities and covered the capture of the biggest NPA bomb factory (enemy equipment est. at P11M recovered) in Greenfield, Sta Juana, Tagbina, Surigao del Sur (Jan and Feb ’07) and the encounter sites in Sito Nabugo, Brgy Mosangot, Binuangan, Misamis Oriental where at least 3 NPAs were killed and 2 captured (1 March 2007) and Sitio Tintinaan, Brgy Can-ayan, Malaybalay City, Bukidnon Prov where 10 NPAs were killed BC (2 March 2007). (4th ID)
