Gov’t troops discovers abandoned NPA camp

From the Leyte Samar Daily Express (Apr 17): Gov’t troops discovers abandoned NPA camp

Government troops have seized an abandoned New People’s Army (NPA) camp in a village in Northern Samar, a military officer said.

Army Lt. Col. Noel Vestuir, commanding officer of the 20th Infantry Battalion, said on Sunday that the camp, located at Happy Valley, San Isidro, Northern Samar, was overtaken by elements of the 20th IB without a single shot fired.

Recovered from the camp were four calibre .38 revolvers.

Vestuir said the rebels hastily abandoned the camp after they learned that government forces were on their way to the area.

“The camp was seized after the 20IB launched sustained combat operations in the area in response to the information tipped-in by some residents in the nearby barangays of the presence of armed men roaming in the area,” Vestuir said in a statement.

“They were enforcing their permit to campaign strategy, extorting money and foodstuff from the people and as well as from politicians,” he added.

According to Vestuir, the camp had 15 bunkers that accommodate more or less 20 people, a kitchen, a comfort room and three outposts.

“The recent accomplishments by the 20IB troops against the NPAs in the area have disrupted the impending terroristic activities that are being hatched by the NPA. The government troops has dislodged them from their guerilla camps and cut-off their supply support lines that they forcibly take from the residents in the area,” he said.

The discovery and seizure of the said camp in the area, he claimed, was made possible by the information provided by residents of the area.

The seizure of the said NPA encampment and the recovery of their firearms, he further said, was a big blow to the NPA.

It is the seventh NPA camp recovered by the military since January.

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

http://leytesamardaily.net/2013/04/govt-troops-discovers-abandoned-npa-camp/