Troops discover arms cache of NPA rebels

February 26, 2020

Government forces recovered high powered firearms in two armed cache discovered in Davao de Oro on Tuesday afternoon.

Lt. Col. Ezra Balagtey, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Eastern Mindanao Command spokesman, said troops of 66th Infantry Battalion recovered the armed cache in an isolated area of Sitio Danawan, Brgy. Manurigao, New Bataan.

Balagtey said the arms cache was discovered based on the information of the community and confirmation of two former leaders of the rebel group who previously surrendered to the 66th IB and to Gov. Jayvee Tyron Uy of Davao de Oro, head of the Provincial Task Force Ending Local Communist Armed Conflict (PTF-ELCAC) last February 10.

"The two surrenderees also revealed... the gradual diminishing of their particular group, brought about by the cascade of surrenders while some went on lie low status or have permanently left, leading them to disintegrate and merge with another group," he said.

Balagtey said the recovered cache contains four M-16 rifles, one M-14 rifle, two AK-47 rifles, one Garand rifle, one Carbine rifle, and two M-203 grenade launchers.

Major Gen. Jose Faustino Jr., head of the Eastern Mindanao Command, urged all military units to continue supporting peace initiatives of local government units while running after the armed group. Robina Asido/DMS