BUTUAN CITY (PNA) – Troops of the 75th Infantry Battalion (IB) recovered on Saturday afternoon, August 19, a cadaver of a New People’s Army (NPA) rebel in the hinterland Barangay Laperian, Prosperidad town in Agusan del Sur.
The recovery took place a day after the 75th IB engaged around 30 NPA insurgents in a 15-minute encounter.
“One day after the encounter, or on Saturday, the barangay officials of Laperian reported the discovery of the body,” the 401st Infantry Brigade said in a statement on Sunday, August 20.
Government troops are now working to identify the recovered cadaver so they can turn it over to the family.
The encounter happened after concerned civilians reported the presence of NPA rebels who were conducting extortion activities.
Troopers recovered one M16 Bushmaster rifle, one grenade, one rifle grenade, four 40mm high explosive live ammunition, one set of anti-personnel mine, 15 meters of detonating cord, 22 long and one short 5.56mm magazines, 58 caliber .30 ammunition, 200 5.56 ammunition, three bandoliers, eight backpacks, three analog cellular phones, one USB (Universal Serial Bus), various medical and dental paraphernalia, and subversive documents with high intelligence value.
In a separate statement, the 65th Infantry Battalion reported the recovery of several war materials on Friday, August 18, in remote Barangay Kolambugan, Sibagat, Agusan del Sur.
Recovered items were one 2.5 horsepower generator set, 15 rounds of 5.56mm ammunition for the M16A1 rifle, 30 rounds of ammo for AK47 rifle, 15 rounds of ammo for .50 caliber machineguns, two magazines for M16A1 rifles, one magazine for AK47, 125 pieces blasting caps, a 150-meter of detonating cord, 20 kilograms of explosive materials, and various subversive documents.