AFP winning battles vs insurgents in Samar

From the Philippine News Agency (Apr 19): AFP winning battles vs insurgents in Samar

Government troops are winning the battle against insurgents in this part of Samar amid sporadic encounters between the two camps.

A report from the Philippine Army (PA) disclosed that a total of seven camps of the New People’s Army (NPA) has been recovered since the start of the year.

The latest was an NPA camp in San Isidro in Northern Samar that was overtaken by the 20th Infantry Battalion. The camp has 15 bunkers that accommodate more or less 20 people, a kitchen, a comfort room and three outposts.

They also recovered four caliber .38 revolvers at the camp.

In Pambujan and Las Navas towns, a series of encounters also took place which resulted in the recovery of some explosives and war devices believed to be abandoned by the NPA’s Rudante Urtal Command operating in Northern Samar.

Recovered war items include eight landmines, two detonator sets, 10 pieces blasting caps and 200 meters long electrical wirings placed separately under the 22 NPA bunkers in the area.

The NPA camp has two kitchens and can accommodate 40 to 50 rebels. The military troops also recovered paraphernalia such as revolutionary song book, hand held radios, NPA codes, and assorted medicines.

In 2012, a total of 131 NPA camps was seized or discovered by the military. Eight camps were recovered with NPA resistance and 123 of these camps were seized without resistance.

Lt. Colonel Arvin R. Lagamon, commanding officer of the 63rd IB said the series of engagements against the NPA rebels is a clear manifestation that the government forces are continuously performing its tasks in securing the communities particularly in Northern Samar Province.

“We will further strengthen and intensify our security operations to protect the lives of the innocent civilians from any terroristic activities of the NPA rebels in the communities,” Lagamon further said.

M/Gen. Gerardo T. Layug, Commander of the 8th Infantry Division based in Camp Lukban, Catbalogan City while saying that the NPA defies the signed Comprehensive Agreement on the Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law (CARHRIHL) between the government and the NDF by using landmines in their terroristic activities, lauded his troops for their dedication in the service of the people and their efforts to accomplish their given tasks even at the risk of endangering their lives.

“The 8ID troops will continue in performing their mandate of protecting the people, securing the region and ensuring that the delivery of basic services to the people in Eastern Visayas will remain unhampered despite threat from the enemies,” Gen. Layug said in a statement.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=&sid=&nid=&rid=518107