CAMP GEN. CAPINPIN, Tanay, Rizal — TROOPS from the Philippine Army’s 1st Infantry Battalion on Tuesday unearthed two assault rifles inside a blue drum that was buried in a forested area in Barangay Bacao in Taysan, Batangas.
Military officials here described the firearms seizure as another blow to the terrorist activities of the communist New People’s Army (NPA) in the province of Batangas.
Capt. Patrick Jay M. Retumban, 2nd Infantry Division (2ID) public affairs chief, said that the soldiers who recovered the weapons acted on a tip from rebel surrenderees.
“According to the surrenderees, the firearms belong to the Milisyang Bayan (an NPA unit), that uses them to commit various atrocities, such as assassinations and harassment of civilians who refuse to join them,” he added in Filipino.
He said a total of 34 NPA guerillas have so far surrendered to the 2ID this month.
“We are very optimistic that more rebels based in Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon), Mindoro, Marinduque, and Romblon will surrender soon,” he said.|Saul Pa-a, PNA
