Troopers take over 2 NPA camps in Kalinga

From the Manila Bulletin (Mar 4): Troopers take over 2 NPA camps in Kalinga

AFP reaches out to Cagayan guerrillas

Philippine Army (PA) has discovered and taken over two abandoned camps of the New People’s Army (NPA) in the hinterlands of Balbalan, Kalinga and pushed efforts to secure peace in Cagayan province by reaching out to hostile guerrillas.

Lieutenant Colonel Gulliver Señires, the commander of the army’s 50th Infantry Battalion (50th IB), said his operating troops found the first NPA camp in the outskirts of Barangay Ababa-an, Balbalan town, Kalinga last February 14; while the other camp was discovered last February 23 in Sitio Guin-ang, Barangay Dao-angan of the same town.

Señires said the NPA rebels had just left the first camp when the operating troops arrived in the area while the second camp is where the military intelligence believes the rebels celebrated their anniversary last December.

He said the NPA rebels abandoned these camps even before the arrival of military troops, following complaints of growing discontent among residents from whom the guerrillas have been collecting food stuffs.

He said that combat operations against the NPA rebels in Kalinga are continuing to ensure the safety and security of the residents in the province.

Meanwhile, the local government of Sto. Niño in Cagayan and the army’s 17th IB expressed optimism the insurgency problem will soon find a peaceful solution in the province despite recent skirmishes between guerrillas and soldiers.

At present, guerrillas are still hiding in the forested areas of Sto. Niño so Mayor Vine Pagurayan has called on them to surrender with the promise of helping them start a new and normal life among society.

Pagurayan made the call to the rebels as he solicited the cooperation of the 17th IB through Lieutenant Colonel Rembert R. Baylosis and the Regional Public Safety Battalion (RPSB) in Region 2, through its commander Senior Superintendent Antonio P. Marallag Jr. in the recent “Pulong-Pulong.”

http://news.mb.com.ph/2017/03/04/troopers-take-over-2-npa-camps-in-kalinga/