Ang Pahayagan

CAMARINES NORTE — The successful recovery of a large cache of high-powered firearms, ammunition, and improvised explosive devices (IEDs) in Camarines Norte in December 2025 has highlighted not only the effectiveness of intelligence-driven military operations, but also the enduring importance of the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) Program and the country’s reservist system in developing capable leaders for national security.

At the center of the operation was 2nd Lieutenant Leomar Simon Sugui, an active officer of the Philippine Army and Platoon Leader of Charlie Company, 42nd Infantry Battalion, 9th Infantry Division. A product of the ROTC Program, 2LT Sugui led a combat group during a two-day interoperability operation that resulted in the discovery and recovery of 45 high-powered firearms, thousands of rounds of ammunition, and three IEDs believed to be part of an arms cache of the Southern Regional Committee 1, Bicol Regional Party Committee.

The operation, conducted from December 16 to 17, 2025, was carried out under TIP No. 5 of COPLAN “FINISHER” and involved joint elements from the 42nd Infantry Battalion, 16th Infantry Battalion, 95th Military Intelligence Company, Philippine National Police units, and PNP-Special Action Force. No casualties were reported, and troops safely returned to base following the mission.

Military officials credited the success of the operation to thorough planning, effective intelligence work, close coordination among units, and disciplined leadership on the ground. As platoon leader, 2nd Lieutenant Sugui supervised area reconnaissance, security, and the recovery and hauling of recovered war materiel from remote terrain in Barangay Exciban, Labo.

Beyond the tactical gains, the operation has drawn attention to the role of ROTC and reservist training in shaping officers like Sugui. A graduate of the Bachelor of Science in Agriculture and a former Corps Commander during his ROTC days at what is now Tarlac Agricultural University, Sugui was commissioned through Republic Act 7077 and entered military service after completing advanced ROTC and officer training courses.

Throughout his career, he has served in various operational and administrative posts under ARESCOM, 9ID, and other major units, gaining experience in intelligence, logistics, command, and field operations. He has also completed numerous military trainings, including warfighting, disaster response, and joint exercises such as the PH–US Balikatan Exercise.

Security analysts note that the case of 2nd Lieutenant reflects how the ROTC Program and the reservist system serve as critical pipelines for developing disciplined, mission-ready leaders. “ROTC instills leadership, civic duty, and basic military competence at an early stage. When properly nurtured through further training and active service, it produces officers who can effectively lead troops in complex security operations,” one officer familiar with the operation said.

The Philippine Army has consistently emphasized the need to strengthen ROTC and reservist programs, particularly amid evolving internal security challenges. Reservists and ROTC-trained officers provide depth to the armed forces, ensuring that leadership and manpower requirements can be met during both combat operations and humanitarian and disaster response missions.

For 2nd Lieutenant Sugui, the operation in Camarines Norte is another chapter in a career marked by professionalism, dedication, and service. As a family man and career officer, he continues to exemplify how citizen-soldiers and ROTC graduates can play a decisive role in safeguarding communities and supporting the broader peace and security efforts of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. (Jason de Asis)

TOP 📸  Leading from the front — a young Philippine Army officer demonstrates how ROTC training and disciplined leadership translate into decisive action on the ground, as 2nd Lt. Leomar Simon Sugui spearheads a successful intelligence-driven operation resulting in the recovery of high-powered firearms and IEDs. (Jason de Asis)