Army hails tip-offs that led to recovery of NPA firearms

From the Philippine News Agency (Mar 1, 2019): Army hails tip-offs that led to recovery of NPA firearms

Troops under the Eastern Mindanao Command (Eastmincom) recovered firearms buried by the New People’s Army (NPA), after two former rebels tipped off their locations in Davao del Norte and Agusan del Norte on Wednesday.

Col. Ezra Balagtey, Eastmincom spokesperson, said Thursday soldiers belonging to the 56th Infantry Battalion recovered four high-powered firearms in Barangay Dagohoy, Talaingod, Davao del Norte.

Balagtey said the recovered firearms consisted of two M14 rifles, a caliber 50 Browning heavy machine gun, and a 60-mm. mortar.
He said troops under the 23rd Infantry Battalion in Agusan del Norte also recovered two firearms and 90 bottles of medicines in a cave in Lower Olave, Buenavista town, Agusan del Norte.

In both cases, Balagtey said the information was provided by former NPA combatants who have already returned to the fold of the law.

Major Gen. Felimon T. Santos Jr., Eastmincom commander, underscored the cooperation among government troops, community residents, and former rebels in the recovery of firearms and ammunition.

The partnership, Santos said, manifested "their dream to attain peace."

"The security of the communities can be best done if stakeholders of peace will complement each other. The effort of the communities of providing information and declaring the armed terrorist (as) undesirable denies them space to hide, plan and carry out evil plans,” the Army official said.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1063237