The 1003RD Infantry brigade yesterday said 67 firearms were recovered in different operations under their area of jurisdiction since January of this year.
The latest was the recovery of 22 high-powered firearms from the boundary of Paquibato and Calinan district.
Speaking in yesterday’s press briefing held at the 1003rd IB headquarters at Barangay Mahayag, Bunawan District, Col. Nolasco Mempin, the brigade commander, said that the guerrilla fronts of the New People’s Army are already weakened.
For instance, the Pulang Bagani Command 1, 2, and 3 have already merged into one unit called the
Pulang Bagani Battalion led by alias Botchok.
He estimated that the battalion has around 58 fighters with 56 firearms.
They cover Davao City, Davao del Norte, and the boundary of Bukidnon and Talaingod.
He said that the NPA’s strength in Davao City has diminished considerably as the army recovered most of the firearms of the rebels.
“Because of our focused military operation and intensified Community Support Program, we were able to recover these huge number of firearms and convince a number of NPA commanders to return to the folds of the law,” he added.
He said the recovery of 22 firearms in Davao City was made possible because of the information given by the three NPA surrenderees on April 26.
“So on Sunday afternoon, we’re able to recover seven firearms and mid-dawn on Monday morning we were able to recover another 12 firearms,” he said.
The arms cache proved that the NPA doesn’t have enough warm bodies to wield the weapons.
“We have pushed them in the boundary of Bukidnon in Kitaotao and some parts of San Fernando,” Mempin said.
