Army recovers 1.5K ammos in remote Butuan village

From the Philippine News Agency (Sep 24, 2020): Army recovers 1.5K ammos in remote Butuan village (By Alexander Lopez)

CACHE OF AMMOS. Government troops under the Army's 23rd Infantry Battalion recover Wednesday afternoon (Sept. 23, 2020) more than 1,500 rounds of ammunition for high-power firearms believed owned by the communist New People’s Army (NPA) in a forested area of Sitio Palo, Barangay Nong-nong, Butuan City. The military in the area has called on the remaining rebels to surrender. (Photo courtesy of 23IB)

BUTUAN CITY – Government forces under the Army's 23rd Infantry Battalion recovered more than 1,500 pieces of ammunition for high-power firearms in a forested area of Sitio Palo, Barangay Nong-nong here.

1st Lt. Roel Maglalang, 23IB civil-military operations officer, said the cache of ammunition recovered during a combat operation on Sept. 23 are believed to be owned by the communist New People’s Army (NPA) operating in the area, in particular the Guerrilla Front (GF) 4A.

“Concerned civilians in the community informed our troopers on the presence of the Communist NPA Terrorist (CNT) members in the area and the location of a hideout being utilized by the rebels where assorted ammunition are concealed,” Maglalang told the Philippine News Agency Thursday.

Lt. Col. Julius Cesar Paulo, 23IB commander, thanked the residents in the area for “bravely providing the Army positive and timely information on the whereabouts of the enemies.”

"We are glad that the residents in barangays in Butuan City and the rest of Agusan del Norte are now supporting the government to end the local communist armed conflicts,” Paulo said in a statement.

He underscored the importance of "cooperation and active participation of civilians" in the discoveries of NPA hideouts as well as firearms and supplies in the area in August this year.

“In the past month, we also recovered, landmine depots, firearms, and supplies in different CNT hideouts within our area of operations through the information provided by the concerned residents,” the Army official said.

He also lambasted the remaining NPA rebels in the area for "adding more burden to residents amidst the hardships they face due to the impacts of the present pandemic."

“We once again call on the remaining CNT members and leaders to surrender now. Let's end the 51 years of hopeless armed struggle and embrace the true meaning of peace,” Paulo said, adding that the government is always ready to accept and support surrenderers through the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (ECLIP).

“But if you insist to stay with your weakening movement and fight the government, the army will not hesitate to use its arms to protect the people and the communities,” Paulo said.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1116512