ORMOC CITY -- Former New People's Army (NPA) couple alyas “Roc” and alyas “Jhon,” who surrendered to the Army’s 802nd Infantry (Peerless) Brigade on January 13, revealed the location of an arms cache in the vicinity of Brgy. Old Kauswagan, Saint Bernard and Sitio Tabjon, Brgy. Calag-itan, Hinunangan, both of Southern Leyte province.
With the help of the two former members of Squad 1, P1, SRC “LEVOX,” Eastern Visayas Regional Party Committee, together with the Barangay Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (BTF-ELCAC) of Brgy. Old Kauswagan, the 802nd IB launched an operation to locate the said arms cache.
The troops were able to discover one (1) AK47 rifle with defaced serial number and two (2) magazines, one (1) M653 rifle, two (2) caliber .45 pistols, 14 rounds of 5.56mm ball cartridge ammunition, and three (3) M16 magazines.
The former NPA couple divulged that the AK47 and M653 rifles were the issued firearms of an active NPA members alyas “Romnick” and alyas “Elen,” respectively. It was further disclosed that these rifles were buried due to lack of ammunition for safe-keeping purposes as they evade the government forces.
Meanwhile, troops of the 802nd IB also discovered one (1) M16 rifle with defaced serial number placed inside a plastic jug, two (2) M16 long magazines and two (2) water containers at the vicinity of Sitio Tabjon. The said firearms were disclosed to be the issued firearms of alyas “Majay” that were also buried as the said personality evades the government forces operating in the area.
Furthermore, concerned citizens of Brgy. Kauswagan, St. Bernard, Southern Leyte turned over one (1) unit of Techblast tablet and three (3) units of Samsung keypad cellphones from alyas “Matus/Manoy/Lope” of P1, SRC “LEVOX,” EVRPC, to the troops of 14IB in Brgy. Catmon of the same municipality. These electronic gadgets were buried at the backyard of the former contacts/couriers who recently withdrew their support from the Communist Terrorist Group.
Lieutenant Colonel Ernesto R. Dela Rosa Jr., commanding officer of the 14IB said the capture of war materials manifests the declining support of the masses to the CPP-NPA-NDF terrorist group. He said the growing support of the people in the former CPP-NPA-NDF mass base areas would eventually lead to the downfall of the remnants of the said terrorist group.
Colonel Noel A. Vestuir, commander of 802nd IB, lauded the former rebels and the BTF-ELCAC of the above-mentioned barangays for their active cooperation and further expressed his gratitude to the local populace for their all-out support to the government's campaign of ending the 53 years of local communist armed conflict.
He further calls on the remaining active members of the Communist NPA Terrorist to return to the folds of the law.
“We assure you of your safety. You will be treated humanely and the government will help you start a peaceful life along with your families,” Colonel Vestuir said. (802nd IB/8ID)
