Troops overrun huge NPA camp in Ilocos

FREDDIE G. LAZARO

NARVACAN, Ilocos Sur — Government troopers overran recently a big camp of the New People’s Army while on combat operation in the remote areas of Sitio Caset, Barangay Maradodon, Cabugao, Ilocos Sur.

Lt. Colonel Roy T. Devesa, commander of the Army’s 50th Infantry Battalion based in San Juan, Ilocos Sur, said in a report to Col. Loreto G. Rirao, commander of the Army’s 503rd Brigade based in Barangay Sulvec, Narvacan the discovered rebel camp can accommodate about 30 to 50 persons with several outposts in its surroundings.

"The rebel camp was discovered when our troop was on combat operation to respond on reports from local residents that a large number of fully-armed communist rebels were roaming the area to conduct forced taxation activities," he said.

According to Devesa, the communist rebels senses the approaching army troopers and they (rebels) abandon the camp leaving the following: one improvised 12 – gauge shotgun with two live ammunitions; communist’s propaganda materials; red books; food stuffs; personal belongings and other subversive documents.

While further searching the area, the soldiers questioned a person, who was allegedly a member of the NPA acting as informer of the rebels to monitor the movement of soldiers and he wandered at the vicinity of the camp during the operation.

"This significant achievement has further degraded the communist rebel’s strength and capability to launch terror attacks in the province. The unit will continue to protect the people for the rebel’s until they are brought to the fold of law," Devesa said.

For his part, Col. Rirao commended the soldiers for their bravery and meritorious achievement.
"Our success in the fight against the NPA is the result of the cooperation of the residents in the area who provided vital information on the presence of the enemy in their locality. The residents manifested that they are sick and tired on the rebel’s extortion activities," Rirao said.

"The effective intelligence analysis and commitment of the military, reinforced with the people’s real time information have led to many successful operations such as this one which clearly demonstrate the weakened stance of the communist rebels," he added.

Rirao said the recent incident served as an immense tactical defeat for the communist group whose existence subsists on sowing terror and making life hard for the people, especially on the rural peasants.