CAMP MELCHOR F DELA CRUZ, Upi, Gamu, Isabela – Troops of the 17th Infantry Battalion (17th IB) discovered a camp being maintained by the New People’s Army (NPA) in Barangay Bural, Zinundungan Valley, Rizal, Cagayan on Saturday, December 5.
The camp was uncovered by the 17th IB soldiers after a clash with about 20 NPAs from the West Front Cagayan Provincial Committee headed by a certain Ka Simoy.
According to the military, the soldiers also found different explosives at the camp.
Confiscated were items left behind by NPA terrorists, including nine jungle packs, eight improvised explosive devices (IEDs), two rifle grenades, three boxes of detonating cords, seven cellphones, various types of ammunition, and subversive documents.
The military said that while there was no casualty on the side of the government, some NPA rebels may have been wounded in the encounter as they were not able to bring with them their equipment when they made their escape.
Maj. Gen. Laurence E. Mina, commander of the Fifth Infantry Division, said the discovery of the camp, as well as the confiscation of their equipment and explosives, was pivotal as the terrorists could have used these against government forces and innocent civilians.
Mina noted the founding anniversary of the NPA’s political arm Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) on December 26.
“Muli akong umaapela sa mga miyembro ng NPA na sumuko at magbalik-loob sa ating pamahalaan imbes na mamalagi at magtago sa kabundukan. Batid namin ang inyong kaawa-awang kalagayan sa loob ng inyong kilusan. Mananatiling bukas ang pinto ng aming mga himpilan upang kayo ay tanggapin sa inyong pagbabalik-loob at para makasama nyo ang inyong buong pamilya ngayong nalalapit na kapaskuhan,” Mina said.
(I am appealing anew to NPA members to surrender and return to the fold of the law instead of staying in the mountains hiding. We know how pathetic your life has been in the movement. The door will remain open in our camps to welcome you back so that you can finally be reunited with your family, especially during Christmas)
The general added that the information provided by the residents about the whereabouts of the NPA rebels was only an indication of their desire to end the atrocities being committed by the NPA terrorists in their area.
"The area of NPA terrorists in Cagayan province is shrinking because the residents themselves are rejecting them," Mina said.