HIGH-POWERED FIREARMS. Troopers of the Army’s 60th Infantry Battalion (IB) recover various high-powered firearms as three of the New People's Army arms caches were recently discovered in Davao del Norte and two in Agusan del Sur. In a statement Tuesday (March 15, 2022), the 60IB says the firearms were found through information given by former rebels. (Photo courtesy of 10ID)
DAVAO CITY – Government troops have retrieved 11 high-powered firearms (HPFs) in three repositories of the communist New People’s Army (NPA) discovered within the area of responsibility of the Philippine Army’s 10th Infantry Division (ID).
In a statement Tuesday, the 10ID said the HPFs were separately found in Kapalong, Davao del Norte, and two areas in Agusan del Sur.
On March 12, intelligence operatives of the Army’s 60th Infantry Battalion (IB) discovered an arms cache at Sitio Bagtok, Barangay Gupitan, Kapalong, Davao del Norte.
The troops recovered two M16 rifles, an AK-47 rifle, and one lower receiver of an M203 grenade launcher in the area.
On the same day, another set of firearms - two M16 rifles and an M653 rifle - was discovered by 60IB troopers at Sitio Tagbalili, Barangay San Vicente, Loreto, Agusan del Sur.
On February 26, an arms cache was also discovered by 60IB troopers with two M16 rifles at Sitio Bubujawon of Barangay Waloe in Loreto town.
The 10ID said the locations of the hordes of firearms were revealed by former members of the Weakened Guerilla Front 3 (WGF3), Sub-Regional Committee 4 (SRC 4), Southern Mindanao Regional Committee (SMRC) who recently surrendered to the 60IB.
Lt. Col. Sumalinog, 60IB acting commander, attributed the discoveries to the Army's partnership with the local government units (LGUs) and other stakeholders in its area of responsibility (AOR), comprising Agusan del Sur, Davao del Norte, and Davao de Oro provinces.
"Let me extend my heartfelt gratitude to our higher units who continuously supported us in accomplishing our unit’s mission of totally dismantling WGF 3," he said.
"Above all, this is an accomplishment of the people in the communities who envisioned a peaceful and developed society,” he added.
He also urged the remaining communist rebels to return to the folds of the law through the implementation of the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-CLIP) and to continue supporting the different LGUs in their peace initiatives.
The CPP-NPA is listed as a terrorist organization by the United States, European Union, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the Philippines.
The Anti-Terrorism Council also formally designated the National Democratic Front as a terrorist organization on June 23, 2021, citing it as “an integral and inseparable part” of the CPP-NPA that was created in April 1973. (PNA)
