DAVAO CITY – Troopers belonging to the 46th Infantry Battalion arrested six members of the New People’s Army (NPA) during a combat operation at Sitio Dasuran, Brgy. Golden Valley, Mabini, Compostela Valley Province Tuesday, a military official said.
The troops also seized war materiel during the operation, which was conducted in response to information from a concerned civilian about the NPA’s presence in the area, said Capt. Jerry Lamosao, spokesperson of 10th Infantry Division.
Capt. Lamosao identified one of the six NPA members as Rex Comania alias Kevin.
Seized from the arrested NPA members were two Cal .45 pistol, one hand grenade, three improvised explosive devices (IED)s and other personal belongings.
In a follow-up operation on Wednesday, government forces recovered an M16 Rifle after Comania revealed its location to the soldiers. It was reportedly kept in the house of a certain Junjun Ramos. The troops also recovered one R4 with SN 002650-9.
Maj. Gen. Noel S Clement, 10ID commander, lauded the troops’ accomplishment.
“The 10ID forces will continuously conduct Focus Military Operations targeting the CPP-NPA. Our forces are able to locate their location since information gathering efforts have been intensified. It’s not too late for them to surrender now,” Gen. Clement said.
He added: “Such manifestation of the people brought down the CNTs influence in the area thereby making them (NPA) irrelevant. As the Local Government Units (LGUs), Local Government Agencies (LGAs), PNP and other stakeholders’ participation in the anti-terrorism campaign, it’s just a matter of time that CPP-NPA terrorists’ influence and atrocities in our area of responsibility will finally come to an end.” (Rhoda Grace Saron/PNA)
