Recovered arms cache. Contributed photo.
FORT RAMON MAGSAYSAY, Nueva Ecija – Combined military and police forces have recovered high-powered firearms and ammunition in a “joint law enforcement operation” in Sitio Balagbag, Barangay Paradise III, San Jose Del Monte City, Bulacan, on Friday, a belated report showed.
According to the division public information office of the Philippine Army’s 7th Infantry Division (7ID) based here, government security forces seized two M16-rifles, 97 bullets for these rifles, four magazines, and a bandolier allegedly concealed by suspected New People’s Army rebels in the area.
The operation was conducted by operatives from the Bulacan police provincial office, SJDM police station, and 48th Infantry (Guardians) Battalion in response to information from a concerned citizen, said the military.
The result confirmed that NPA rebels reportedly belonging to Platoon 4A4, Guerilla Front Cesar of the Southern Tagalog Regional Party Committee, are in disarray as they left their firearms in a not–so–discreet area where ordinary civilians can easily discoverthem, the military said.
Major Gen. Alfredo Rosario Jr., 7ID commander,lauded the joint Army and PNP law enforcement operation.
“It is noteworthy that the system emplaced in the Peace, Law Enforcement and Development Support Cluster as one of the lines of effort of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict is working well between the Army and the PNP in Bulacan,” Rosario said.
Col. Andrew Costelo, commander of the Army’s 703rd Infantry Brigade said: “While we are in the midst of our difficult battle against the Covid-19 pandemic, we are not letting our guards down in our task to end the local communist armed conflict against the NPA bandits.”
Bulacan provincial police director Col. Lawrence Cajipe for his part stressed the good rapport between the Army and the PNP in the province of Bulacan asone of the reasons of the recovery of the NPA firearms.
This, even as he assured that PNP Bulacan will “continue to keep an eye on the safety and security of everyone, together with the Army and other law enforcement agencies.”
