Army troops seize ammo cache, food stash in NPA hideout

Aug 20, 2020 09:22 AM

CAMP BANCASI, Butuan City - Troopers of the Army’s 23rd Infantry (Masigasig) Battalion (23^rd IB) seized packs of ammunition and food supplies concealed in a hideout abandoned by members of Communist New People’s Army Terrorists (CNTs) in a forested area of Sitio Lamusig, Barangay Tungao, Butuan City.

Lt. Col. Julius Cesar C. Paulo, commanding officer of the Army’s 23rdInfantry Battalion receives the high powered firearms of Ka Grace and Ka Rey during their voluntary surrender on Sunday at the battalion headquarters in Barangay Alubijid, Buenavista, Agusan del Norte on Sunday night, Aug. 16, 2020. (2rd IB-CMO/Mike U. Crismundo/Manila Bulletin)

Troops of 23^rd IB, together with the personnel from Mobile Community Support and Sustainment Team (MCSST) in Tungao and the Regional Mobile Force Battalion 13 (RMFB 13) Community Action Team (ComACT) conducted a special intelligence operation in response to reports by concerned civilians in the area on the activities of the CNTs and the location of the hideout.

Upon reaching the place at 8:10 a.m. on Tuesday, government forces discovered an estimated 50-square meter area that served as a hideout that can accommodate around 10 persons, 23^rd IB Civil Military Operations (CMO) officer 1^stLt. Roel T. Maglalang told The Manila Bulletin on Thursday.

“Highland villagers in the area revealed that the said hideout was abandoned by the CNTs two days ago,” he said.

Government troopers recovered one AK47 magazine, one M16 magazine, 22 rounds of AK47 7.62mm live ammunition, 71 rounds of M16 5.56mm live ammunitions, four empty cartons of AK47 ammunition, fourmeters electrical wire, and three gallons filled with rice equivalent to one and one-half (1 ½) sacks buried in the hideout.

The recovered CNTs supplies were brought to the headquarters of 23rd IB for proper disposition and disposal, the 23^rd IB CMO officer added.

Lt. Col. Julius Cesar C. Paulo, 23^rd IB commander, said they also recovered in the past weeks CNTs hideouts, landmines depots, firearms and supply cache.

In Agusan del Norte, two CNTs identified as “Ka Rey” and "Ka Grace" abandoned the armed struggle and voluntarily surrendered to the 23^rdIB. The two used to be regular fighters of Squad Dos Sub-Regional Sentro de Grabidad (SRSDG) SAGAY, Sub-Regional Committee 3 (SRC 3) of the CPP-NPA North Central Mindanao Regional Committee (NCMRC).

They also turned over one M4 rifle (Colt) and one M16A1 rifle (ELISCO) and live ammunition.