MARAG VALLEY

CAMPAIGN: PAF
AIR SUPPORT
PAF HISTORY BIT: MARAG VALLEY CAMPAIGN... Perhaps the most intense INTERNAL SECURITY
OPERATIONS fought by the Armed Forces of the Philippines in the early 1990s, the Marag Valley Campaign in
Cagayan Valley, Northern Luzon... The area was the operating base of the Communist Party of the Philippines/ New
People's Army (CPP/NPA) Headquarters of the Far North Luzon Regional Party Committee... It was also the
training base of communist terrorists coming from other NPA units... Marag Valley is a vast forest land extending
from the foot of Mount Siamsanderie in Luna, Apayao to the Malababie Valley in Pamplona, Cagayan... Most of the
land area is thickly forested and settlements are found along the mighty Marag River... The strength of the NPA
forces in the area required the deployment of an army division and significant air support and the campaign cost the
lives of hundreds of soldiers, rebels and civilians...

The difficulty of fighting the NPA rebels in Marag Valley can be attributed not only to the strength of its forces but
also the terrain that lent itself to defense... One Mayor in the Region described Marag was then the Vietnam of the
Philippines, as soldiers were wary then of venturing into Marag for fear of ambush... Attempts by the Army failed to
dislodge the rebels utilizing combat tactics of the Vietcong that were successful against the Americans during the
Vietnam War... The NPA made use of booby traps, extensive network of man-made tunnels, caves and land mines...

In such a combat environment the Army ground forces turned to the PAF to provide valuable air support through
extra firepower, recon and airmobile operations to fight and overcome the Communist forces in the area... The PAF
utilized AT-28D Trojans and AUH-76 Sikorsky gunships later OV-10 Broncos and MD-520MG attack helicopters
for close-air support (CAS) operations and the venerable UH-1H Huey Combat Utility Helicopters for vital air
mobility and resupply operations... The support provided by the PAF greatly aided Army ground operations as the
campaign (which begun in 1990) ended in 1993... (Photos courtesy of the PAF Museum and Manila Bulletin
Archives)