ABANDONED. The abandoned hideout of the communist New People’s Army discovered by troops from the Army’s 73rd Infantry Battalion Tuesday (Feb. 25, 2020) at a portion of Abunda Range, Barangay Kinam, Malapatan town in Sarangani province. The NPA lair is the third to be located by government troops in Sarangani this year. (Photo courtesy of the 73IB)
GENERAL SANTOS CITY – Government troops discovered an abandoned hideout of the New People’s Army (NPA) in an operation on Tuesday in a hinterland village in Malapatan town, Sarangani province.
Lt. Col. Ronaldo Valdez, commanding officer of the Army’s 73rd Infantry Battalion (73IB), said in a statement Wednesday evening that the rebel hideout was found around 10:30 a.m. at a portion of Abunda Range, Barangay Kinam in Malapatan.
Valdez said troops from two sections of the 104th Division Reconnaissance Company led by 2Lt. Alex Fernandez and 2Lt. Allah Jabile located the NPA lair during a combat patrol in the area.
“It could have been abandoned by the rebels a week ago,” Valdez said, adding the hideout is located in a densely vegetated area and could accommodate at least 30 persons.
The NPA camp was the third located by the 73IB in Sarangani province this year.
Valdez said military operations launched since last month have already resulted in the surrender of at least 26 combatants of the NPA’s Guerilla Front 71 (Tala)-Far South Mindanao Region. Two of them, identified as Bening Tamba alias “Ban” and Jo Dala alias “Carlo,” surrendered last week in Malapatan town.
He assured that their focused military operations in parts of Davao Occidental and Sarangani will continue against the “weakened” NPA units in these areas.
“With the continuous support from local communities, we will sustain our pursuit against these communist terrorists and prevent them from conducting hostile and terroristic activities,” he added.
The Communist Party of the Philippines, along with its armed wing --the NPA -- is listed as a terrorist organization by the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the Philippines. (PNA)
