Jorge Madlos’ son killed in Bukidnon clash

CAGAYAN DE ORO (MindaNews / 04 September) — Army troops gunned down on Saturday in Impasug-ong, Bukidnon the son of  Jorge “Ka Oris” Madlos, the top leader of the New People’s Army in Mindanao who was killed in an alleged encounter in the same town in October last year. 

Maj. Francisco Garello Jr., spokesperson of the Army’s 4^th Infantry Division said Vincent Isagani Madlos and his wife Angie Polandres Salinas, were killed allegedly in an encounter with the Army 8^thInfantry Battalion in Barangay Kapitan Bayong, Impasug-ong town in Bukidnon at around 1 p.m. on Saturday, September 3. 

Rito, the younger brother of Jorge Madlos, confirmed his nephew’s death. 

“We recognized him through the photos published by the military,” he told MindaNews. 

_{Map shows Barangay Kapitan Bayong where Vincent Isagani Madlos and his wife Angie Polandres Salinas were killed on September 3, 2022 and Barangay Dumalaguing where Vincent’s father, Jorge Madlos, was killed on October 30, 2021. Map courtesy of Google Maps}

Garello said the body of the young Madlos was found along with his wife, after a 15-minute gun battle.

Lt. Col. Anthony Bacus, commander of the 8^th Infantry Battalion said a small army unit engaged the armed group of the young Madlos in a “short but intense firefight.”

“It was a focused military operation targeting the young Madlos,” Bacus said, adding Madlos headed the National Communications Bureau of the NPA’s National Operational Council. 

Two AK-47 rifles, ammunition and documents were allegedly found around their bodies, he said. 

He said the bodies of  Madlos and Salinas were brought to a funeral parlor in Malaybalay City.

The Surigao-based Rito said he would go to Bukidnon to claim the bodies of Vincent and Salinas. 

 “We want to bury them beside his father’s grave in Surigao City,” Rito said.

It was also Rito who went to Impasug-ong town last year to get the cremated remains of the elder Madlos. The remains of the elder Madlos were cremated after testing positive for COVID-19. 

The elder Madlos was the longtime spokesperson of the National Democratic Front (NDF) in Mindanao and spokesperson of the National Operational Command of the New People’s Army until his death in a noontime encounter, according to the military, in Barangay Dumalaguing of the same town, on October 30, 2021, also a Saturday. 

The NDF’s Northeastern Mindanao Region confirmed Jorge Madlos was, indeed, killed by the military but claimed he and his medic were ambushed while on board a motorcycle evening of October 29 s they headed towards the national highway from the poblacion of Impasug-ong.  (Froilan Gallardo / MindaNews)