Gov’t forces seize arms cache hidden by NPA rebels in Quirino province

Army and police officials show to media members eight high-powdered guns and 15 police uniforms seized from alleged New People’s Army rebels at Nagtipunan town in Quirino province on May 19.(VILLAMOR VISAYA JR.)

CAMP MELCHOR DELA CRUZ, ISABELA – The police and military on Saturday (May 19) found eight high-powered guns and 15 police uniforms allegedly buried by New People’s Army (NPA) rebels at Nagtipunan town in Quirino province.

The discovery of the arms cache at 7 a.m. foiled a rebel plot, said Maj. Gen. Perfecto Rimando, 5th Infantry Division commander of the Philippine Army.

Rimando presented the seized guns and uniforms to the media on Saturday afternoon here.

But details of the NPA’s supposed plans were not revealed, except to identify the unit as the NPA Kilusang Larangang Guerilla operating in the provinces of Quirino and Nueva Vizcaya.

The military said they recovered the weapons in Sitio (subvillage) Calvo at Barangay (village) Dimasungal.

The Army and the Cagayan police confiscated two M-14 Armalite rifles, four M-16 Armalite rifles, an M653 Baby Armalite rifle, the upper receiver of an M-16 Armalite rifle, various ammunition, 15 sets of police uniforms and 14 pairs of combat boots.

“This was the result of our active engagement with the local officials, community and tribal elders in the area. The local officials and the community are also behind the more than 70 [rebels] who surrendered to this command this 1st quarter of the year,” Rimando said.

Also in Nagtipunan on Saturday, soldiers of the Army’s 86th Infantry Battalion engaged armed men in a 5-minute gunfight after they stumbled upon an alleged rebel encampment in Sitio Pulang Lupa. No casualties were reported. VILLAMOR VISAYA JR.