Troops unearth NPA arms cache in Davao Oro town

From the Philippine News Agency (Jul 12, 2022): Troops unearth NPA arms cache in Davao Oro town (By Che Palicte)

RECOVERED FIREARMS. Four M16 rifles and an M14 rifle buried by the communist New People's Army (NPA) are recovered by the military in Barangay New Leyte, Maco, Davao de Oro on July 9, 2022. High-ranking leaders of the communist NPA who recently surrendered led the government troops to the hidden arms cache. (Photo courtesy of 10ID)

Government troops unearthed an arms cache of the communist New People’s Army (NPA) rebels in the hinterlands of Davao de Oro, the Army’s 10th Infantry Division (10ID) said Tuesday.

In a statement, the 10ID said high-ranking leaders of the NPA led the government troops to five high-powered firearms hidden in Barangay New Leyte, Maco, Davao De Oro on July 9.

A former NPA commanding officer and two other ranking officers of the dismantled Guerilla Front (GF) 2 who surrendered last month accompanied the military and the police to the area, 10ID said. They recovered M16 rifles and an M14 rifle.

Maj. Gen Nolasco Mempin, 10ID commander, said the cooperation of former rebels “is a clear manifestation of the trust and confidence they have bestowed on the soldiers.”

“These firearms must be recovered for us to ensure that these cannot be used again in sowing terror and violence to our people,” Mempin added.

Davao De Oro was recently declared by the military as an insurgency-free province after all eight rebel units operating in the area were dismantled.

The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP)-NPA is listed as a terrorist organization by the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the Philippines.

The Anti-Terrorism Council also formally designated the National Democratic Front as a terrorist organization on June 23, 2021, citing it as “an integral and inseparable part” of the CPP-NPA that was created in April 1973.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1178740