CAMP ELIAS ANGELES, PILI, Camarines Sur (PIA) -- An M16 rifle, two caliber .22 rifles, magazines, molotov bomb, bandoliers, backpack, assorted ammunition, cellphones, batteries, camouflage uniform of Philippine Army, medical paraphernalia and terroristic propaganda materials were found by the government troops in Brgy. Napulidan, Lupi, Camarines Sur, May 28, Friday.
The war materials were found by the 9th Infantry Battalion (9IB) troops conducting pursuit operations after they responded to a tip-off from residents of the said barangay, saying that there are assorted firearms left by the communist NPA terrorists (CNTs) in their mass base.
In a press statement, 9ID Battalion Commander Lt. Col. Emerson Sumilang expressed his appreciation and gratitude to the residents of Brgy.Napulidan in Lupi for their prompt action and for informing the authorities about the war materials that could have been used against the government troops had they not reported it.
“We appreciate the support of the local populace. This gesture is a manifestation of the people's desire to eradicate communist insurgency in their communities,” Sumilang said.
Meanwhile, Col. Jaime Abawag, Brigade Commander of 902nd Infantry Brigade, stressed that the seizure of the said war materiel prevented the CTG from using it to threaten communities and spread violence.
"Babala na ito sa CTG na wala ng ligtas na lugar para sa kanila at sa kanilang mga armas dahil maliban sa ating mas pinaigting na mga operasyon, nagsisilbi na rin nating mata ang mga residenteng sawa na sa kanilang mga karahasan (This should serve as a warning to the CTGs that there are no longer safe places for them and their war materials. Aside from our intensified operations, the community, who are already fed up with their violence, now serves as our eyes)," Col. Abawag said.
9ID and Joint Task Force (JTF) Bicolandia Commander MGEN Henry A. Robinson, Jr., PA, also believes that the CTG's act of leaving their firearms in their mass base is an indication that they no longer have enough members to carry them.
"Malamang, marami sa kanilang mga miyembro ang nasugatan sa nakaraang bakbakan kaya iniwan na lang nila 'yong kanilang mga armas. Hindi nga imposibleng pati mga kasamahan nila iniwan din nila kung saan-saan lang gaya ng ginagawa nila tuwing may namamatay at nasusugatan silang kabaro (It is most likely that majority of their members were wounded during the past encounters and they just decided to leave their weapons behind. There is also a big possibility that, like their weapons, they also leave their comrades behind if they are wounded or were left dead from the encounter),” Robinson stated.
Robinson added that the CTG is trying so hard to stay relevant and show-off their strength but they cannot deny the fact that they are crumbling down and that their cause is slowly dying.
“The JTF Bicolandia continues to encourage other CNTs to go down the mountains just as what the 111 surrenderees in the entire Bicol region did,” Robinson said.
Division Public Affairs Office (DPAO) Spokesperson Capt. John Paul Belleza recalled that on May 26, one CTG member was killed and a high-powered firearm was seized after an armed encounter between the government troops and CTG in the same town also broke out. (PIA5/Camarines Sur, with reports from JPBelleza, DPAO)
Source: Philippines Information Agency (pia.gov.ph)
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