ZAMBOANGA CITY, Aug. 29 (PNA) -- A top military
official said the strength and weapons of the New People’s Army (NPA) rebels
have been steadily decreasing here in the Zamboanga Peninsula area.
Army’s 1st Infantry Division commander Brig.
Gen. Gerardo Barrientos attributed it to the ongoing “Bayanihan” peace
development efforts as well to the continued collaboration of his command with
the local government units within the command’s area of jurisdiction.
“The number of NPA members in the region and
their firearms continue to decrease. NPA manpower in the said region was
reduced by around 10 percent while their firearms were reduced by five
percent,” Barrientos said in a statement.
Barrientos said that last week, the troops from
the Army’s 53rd Infantry Battalion have recovered two serviceable M-16 Armalite
rifles and ammunition in an arms cache in the forested tri-boundary of
Zamboanga Del Sur, Zamboanga Del Norte and Misamis Occidental.
He said the troops also recovered two handheld
radio transceivers, two pairs of military uniforms, medical paraphernalia,
personal belongings and subversive documents of high intelligence value.
Lt. Col. Alvin Luzon, 53rd Infantry Battalion
commander, the discovery of the arms cache came after residents and former
rebels informed them of the place where the NPA rebels kept their stash of
weapons.
“These items were left behind because the NPA
lacks the manpower to bring it due to numerous surrenderees and the capture of
their members,” Luzon added.
Barrientos commended the
troops involved in the recovery of the arms cache citing it was brought about
by the good rapport of the soldiers with the community.(PNA)
LAP/TPGJR/PJN
LAP/TPGJR/PJN
