Arms cache allegedly belonging to two communist rebel groups were discovered by soldiers of the 56th Infantry Battalion in Talaingod, Davao del Norte and 23rd IB in Agusan del Norte in the past couple of days.Col. Ezra Balagtey, the spokesperson of Eastern Mindanao Command, said that on Feb. 27, a patroling platoon of the 23rd IB recovered two M1 Garand rifles and 90 bottles of medicine. In Sitio Bulak, Barangay Lower Olave, Buenavista, Agusan del Norte.
The said hideout has an estimated area of 40×30 square meters that can accommodate more or less 15 rebels.
On Tuesday, Feb. 26, operating troops of the 56th Infantry Battalion recovered four high-powered firearms in Barangay Dagohoy, Talaingod, Davao del Norte.
Brig. Gen. Ernesto Torres Jr, commander of 1003rd Infantry Brigade, said they recovered two M14 rifles, one 50 Cal. Browning machine gun, one 60mm mortar, a magazine for M14, and 7.62mm ball ammunition.
Meanwhile, Maj. Gen. Felimon T. Santos Jr., commander of the Eastern Mindanao Command, commended the troops.
“Security of the communities can be best done if stakeholders of peace will complement each other,” Santos said.
It can be recalled that villages have been declaring the New People’s Army as “persona non grata” in their respective communities.
Recently, on Feb. 25, the Ovu-Manuvu tribe in Davao City declared the NPAs “persona non grata” in their ancestral domains and villages, while the Province of Davao Oriental declared and prohibited the NPA and declared them as undesirable in a resolution passed on Feb. 19, 2019.
