GOVERNMENT troops have recovered an arms cache of the communist terrorists New People’s Army (NPA) in a remote village in the towns of Lantapan and Baungon Bukidnon, military officials said Friday.
Army's 4th Infantry Division public affairs chief Major Rodulfo Cordero said the arms cache containing several high-power firearms was unearthed in raid operation in four hide-holes of the NPA at different sites in Bukidnon province on September 15.
Cordero said the troops launched the follow-up operation based on information divulged by a civilian and former rebel member the buried firearms and other NPA belongings.
Army’s 1st Special Forces Battalion (1SFBn) commander Lt. Colonel Vercisio San Jose, said that the troops swooped down on the arms cache at uninhabited and forested areas of Barangays Kaatuan and Alanib all in Lantapan municipality, including those in Barangay Lacolac of Baungon town.
1SFB of the Army's 403rd Infantry Brigade raided four hide-holes of the NPA at different sites in Bukidnon province.
The 1SFBn troops also seized some of the NPA’s firearms and subversive documents in an area near Barangay Dalwangan that borders Malaybalay City and Lantapan town.
“Civilian populace in the area is fed up with the NPA extortion activities. They no longer support the communist agenda, thus they provided us the information on the whereabouts of the arms cache," said San Jose.
San Jose added that with the mass surrender of veteran NPA Terrorists, the loss of support from the masses, and the capture of their weapons and firearms, the NPA terrorists group in his area of responsibility are in the brink of collapse.
Soldiers recovered 2 AK-47 rifles, 2 M653 rifles, an M203 grenade launchers, 1 M14 rifle and 2 Garand rifles. Also discovered in the areas were improvised explosive devices and medical supplies.
403rd Infantry Brigade commander Colonel Ferdinand Barandon, commended the 1st SF Battalion for the successful operation while recognizing the efforts of civilians who helped in searching out the NPA’s hideaways.
“The recovery of the arms cache is a big blow to the communist terrorist groups (CTGs)," said Barandon.
He said it showed that they are no longer welcomed in the community, as the sympathy and support of the civilians have shifted from the CTGs to the government.
"As always, we will be relentless in our efforts to hunt down the remaining members of the terrorist groups until they are incapable of sowing fear and panic to the people within our area of operation,” Barandon said. (Recthie Tolinero and Ben Balce with report from 403rd Bde,/PIA Bukidnon)
