PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, Palawan — Cooperation of community leaders and efforts of joint operating troops in southern Palawan have resulted in the recovery of another set of New People’s Army (NPA) war materials in the past week, an official of the military said Monday.
Marine Battalion Landing Team-4 (MBLT-4) environment unit and civil military operations officer Captain Wanel Ansa told PNA the war materials consisted of ammunitions, chest rig, medical and dental equipment, and various subversive documents.
On September 21, the 24th Marine Company (MC) of the MBLT-4 headed by 1Lt. Ellaine Collado recovered the first set in the mountainous areas of Barangay Malis, Brooke’s Point town.
The second, which consisted of one M16 rifle, was recovered in Barangay Salogon, also in the said town on September 24, said Ansa.
The MBLT-4 vowed to continue its focused military operation to keep the enemy on the run and incapable of doing any terroristic activities in its area of operation.
Last month, the battalion recovered 14 units of M16 rifles in Barangay Salogon that put a major setback to the NPA’s capability.
The high-powered rifles were presented to local government officials of Brooke’s Point, who vowed to accelerate the delivery of basic social services to indigenous peoples (IP) communities to prevent the NPA from continuously exploiting them.
Vice Mayor Cesareo Benedito Jr. of the said town and some 20 village officials made the pledged as they mutually denounced the presence of the rebels in southern Palawan.
“We are all together in condemning the NPA presence in Brooke’s Point. This iniquitous armed struggle is nothing but pure evil for exploiting our innocent indigenous peoples and residents, and we encourage those who have joined (the NPA) to go down from the mountains now and surrender for us to be able to help them,” Benedito said. (Celeste Anna Formoso/PNA)
