CAMP VICENTE LUKBAN, Catbalogan City – A newly-surrendered member of the Communist Party of the Philippines – New People’s Army (CPP-NPA), now Friend Rescued (FR) have surrendered to the troops of the 42nd Infantry “Tagapagtanggol” Battalion and revealed a buried arms cache in the hinterlands of Barangay Buco, Can-avid, Eastern Samar.
On July 15, 2023, the troops conducted an operation and unearth several high powered firearms including five M14 rifles, four M16 rifles, a shot gun, an M79 Grenade Launcher, an International Humanitarian Law – banned anti-personnel mine (APM) and other war materiel.
Prior to this recovery the said FR also lead the troops in the recovery of high-powered firearms on June 28 this year.
The Commanding Officer of 42IB, Lieutenant Colonel Rodito Gotladera lauded the decision of the FR to surrender and help the troops in the recovery of the arms cache.
He also assured that the troops of 42IB will remain committed and will intensify its efforts to locate more firearms stashed by CNTs and defuse the remnants of confronted group to prevent the communist rebels from recovering their lost ground in Eastern Samar.
“We will be stepping up our military and non-military operations to track down the location of CNTs’ loose firearms and prevent their recovery efforts here in Eastern Samar. Today’s recovery significantly blows the capacity of communist rebels on their nefarious acts,”Gotladera said.
Meanwhile, the Commander of 8th Infantry Division, Major General Camilo Z. Ligayo commended the 42IB for their accomplishments especially the recent recoveries of high-powered firearms that greatly contributed to the mission of ending the decades-long insurgency problem.
“We will have intensified operations especially in Northern Samar and in no time we will be able to dismantle the one remaining Guerilla Front. During the visit of President Bongbong Marcos he said that he is confident that we can finish the fight against the insurgents by the end of the year in the region. Having been said by the President, I am also confident we can really end the insurgency problem but of course through our collaborative efforts,” Maj.Gen. Ligayo expressed.
