ILOILO CITY -- The Philippine Army seized assorted firearms hidden by New People’s Army (NPA) rebels in Tubungan town, Iloilo province this week.
Troops belonging to the 61st Infantry Battalion (61 IB) were able to find the hidden firearms at Sitio Parapada of Lanag Norte village largely due to the information given by a former NPA rebel.
The troops recovered an M16 rifle, two improvised shotguns, two 30-round and a 20-round magazines for an M16 rifle, a magazine for an improvised shotgun, and an 83-round magazine for 5.56mm, and bandoliers.
“The recovery of the arms cache was not made possible without the cooperation of our former rebels,” admitted Lieutenant Colonel Harold Garcia, commanding officer of the 61IB.
The former rebel once served as a political guide for the Sibat Platoon of the NPA’s Southern Front Committee in Panay Island.
With this development, Garcia urged other former rebels who have rejoined the folds of the government to cooperate with authorities by providing information either on NPA comrades or location of armaments.