EXCAVATED. At least nine high-powered firearms placed inside a drum were excavated in the forested portion of Sitio Eme of Barangay Bagong Silang in Del Gallego, Camarines Sur last week. The dug-up firearms were five M16 and two M14 rifles; an M79 grenade launcher; and an M72 light anti-tank weapon. (Photo courtesy of 9th Infantry Battalion)
LEGAZPI CITY – The high-powered firearms dug up in Camarines Sur last week were meant to be used by the New People's Army to launch tactical offensives in next year's elections, an Army official said on Friday.
Lt. Col. Cleto Lelina, Army’s 9th Infantry Battalion commander based in Sta. Elena, Camarines Norte, in an interview said there could be more firearms hidden by the rebels in preparation for their modus operandi on issuing “permit-to-win” and “permit-to-campaign” during the campaign period.
Lelina said the rebels were having difficulties in their operations due to the anti-insurgency offensives being carried out by government forces that’s why they are forced to just bury the firearms.
“Besides, the rebels are having a hard time implementing their anti-government tactics because the people are now tipping off their presence and activities in the barangays,” Lelina told the Philippine News Agency (PNA).
At least nine high-powered firearms placed inside a drum were excavated in the forested portion of Sitio Eme in Barangay Bagong Silang in Del Gallego, Camarines Sur last week.
The excavated firearms were five M16 and two M14 rifles; an M79 grenade launcher; and an M72 light anti-tank weapon.
Brig. General Jaime Abawag, Army’s 902nd Infantry Brigade commander, said the firearms are also being used in the coercive collection of revolutionary tax or "butaw" to farmers and contractors of government projects in their area of operations.
He echoed Lelina's statement that the rebels already started to gather these high-powered firearms to be used not only to forcibly collect revolutionary tax but also to sow terror and carry out extortions during the elections.
Abawag lambasted the rebels for continuously collecting revolutionary tax even with the prevailing pandemic.
“These forced collections of revolutionary taxes are even stalling the implementation and completion of pro-people infrastructure projects in the remote villages,” Abawag said in their released official statement.
He also commended the concerned citizens who had tipped to the authorities the location of the buried firearms.
Three days ago, the joint Army and police forces also excavated some 695 live bullets for caliber 5.56mm in Purok Dilis, Barangay San Rafael in Bulan, Sorsogon.
A concerned citizen told the authorities of the presence of suspected rebels burying something in the place where the bullets were dug up, the Army reported.
The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP)-NPA is listed as a terrorist organization by the United States, European Union, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the Philippines. (PNA)
