ABANDONED REBEL LAIR. Army troopers recover various parts of high-power firearms and other supplies in an abandoned hideout of the communist New People’s Army on Sept. 5, 2020 in a forested area of Mt. Indocay, Sitio Bulak, Barangay Lower Olave in Buenavista, Agusan del Norte. The military says the discovery was made possible by civilian tip-offs. (Photo courtesy of 23IB)
BUTUAN CITY – Acting on information provided by residents, government troops uncovered an abandoned lair of the communist New People’s Army (NPA) in the hinterlands of Agusan del Norte, where they recovered supplies for high-power firearms and various supplies over the weekend.
1Lt. Roel T. Maglalang, the civil-military operations officer of the Army's 23rd Infantry Battalion, said Monday that the abandoned NPA hideout was discovered in the forested area of Mt. Indocay in Sitio Bulak in Barangay Lower Olave in Buenavista, Agusan del Norte on Saturday (Sept. 5).
“Our troops conducted a security operation in the area upon receipt of the information from civilian residents on the abandoned hideout,” Maglalang told the Philippine News Agency.
He said the hideout had an area of 300 square meters and can accommodate around 30 persons.
Recovered from the abandoned hideout include a power generator and parts of several high-power firearms.
Lt. Col. Julius Cesar C. Paulo, 23IB commander, thanked the residents in the area for the information provided to the Army.
“We are glad that the local residents are very cooperative to us in ending local communist armed conflict in Agusan del Norte,” Paulo said, noting that the village was once known as the guerrilla base of the communist rebels--particularly the NPA's Guerrilla Front 4A.
“After years of suffering from the hands of the Communist NPA Terrorists (CNTs), the people finally disowned and cut their support to said group making it hard now for the rebels to enter in the said village,” Paulo said.
He also cited the local government unit of Buenavista, the barangay officials, and the other stakeholders "for their continued support in the efforts to drive out the remaining NPA rebels in Agusan del Norte".
“With the support of the local government and other stakeholders, numerous plans and programs will soon be established in the area,” he added. (PNA)
