NPA Front Capitulates, 20 Firearms Recovered

NSFA, Panacan, Davao City - Twenty high powered firearms (HPFA) stashed in arms caches were surrendered by Guerilla Front North, a New Peoples Army (NPA) unit being monitored in the quad-boundary of Agusan del Sur, Surigao del Sur, Davao De Oro and Davao Oriental, to the units of Joint Task Force Agila of Eastern Mindanao Command on Sunday, May 3, 2020.



At 10:00 in the morning, elements of the 66th Infantry Battalion (IB) under Ltc Roman Mabborang, acting on information of a former rebel who surrendered earlier to Provincial Task Force ELCAC Davao De Oro, simultaneously discovered two arms caches that yielded a total of nine HPFA.

The first arms cache that was located at Sitio Matigdaw, Brgy. Marayag, Lupon, Davao Oriental consisted of (1) M60 Machine Gun, (3) M16 rifles, and (1) M14 rifle. The second arms cache was discovered at Sitio Casunugan, Brgy. Mahan-ub, Baganga, Davao Oriental stashed with (3) M16 rifles and (1) US M2 Carbine rifle.

In the afternoon, a former rebel who surrendered to Ltc Louie Dema-ala of 67th Infantry Battalion on May 2, 2020, led the troops of combined units under 701st Infantry Brigade to another arms cache of the same NPA group at Sto. Spur 3, Brgy. Aliwagwag, Cateel, Davao Oriental. The troops were able to recover (5) M16 rifles, (2) AK47 rifles, (1) M4 rifle, (1) M203 Grenade Launcher, (1) M14 rifle, and (1) M653 rifle.

In a report made by BGen Eriel Niembra, Commander of the 701st Infantry Brigade to MGen Reuben Basiao, Commander of Joint Task Force Agila, the NPA North Front is at the brink of collapse following the surrender of their regular members during the past months, as a result of the relentless and collaborative peace and development efforts of the government troops and the LGUs.

In an earlier report on May 2, 2020, the 67th IB also seized (4) AK47 rifles, (1) M14 rifle, (1) Garrand rifle, and (1) M79 Grenade Launcher at So. Alimot, Brgy. Salvacion, Trento, Agusan del Sur after a revelation of another surrenderee.

It can further be recalled that the first arms cache of the said NPA group was discovered by troops belonging to the 66th Infantry Battalion in an isolated area of Sitio Danawan, Brgy. Manurigao, New Bataan, Davao de Oro on February 25, 2020, yielding (4) M16 rifles, (1) M14 rifle, (2) AK47 rifles, (1) Garand rifle, (1) Carbine rifle, and (2) M203 grenade launchers after an NPA couple surrendered to the Task Force ELCAC of Davao De Oro

On April 16 and 17, (6) HPFA of the group were also captured during a series of encounters at Brgy. Campawan, Baganga, Davao Oriental. Also on April 18, 2020, a member of the group surrendered to 28th IB in Dawan, Mati City bringing along with him (3) garand rifles, (3) landmines and (2) caliber .45 pistols. This brought the total captured firearms of North Front to (48) HPFA to include the firearms initially surrendered

Meanwhile, MGen. Jose C. Faustino Jr., Commander of the Eastern Mindanao Command lauded the accomplishments of the units and attributed it to the united efforts of the Task Force on Ending Local Communist Armed Conflict (TF-ELCAC).

"The surrender of NPA regulars with their firearms was brought about by the convergence of all stakeholders in addressing the different dimensions of insurgency. We commend the untiring effort at the different levels of TF-ELCAC and the invaluable support of the Local Government Units," MGen Faustino said.

Source: Public Information Office, Eastern Mindanao Command, AFP