CATBALOGAN CITY — An Army officer said the recent recovery of many firearms that were owned by the communist New People’s Army is an indication of the insurgency’s inability to recruit new blood to the guerilla zones due to the dwindling support from the people.

This comes as the Philippine Army recovered two arms caches containing high-powered firearms and Anti-Personnel Mines in the province of Samar and Northern Samar on 4 February 2024.

Troops of the 43rd Infantry Battalion found an arms cache containing five High-powered firearms composing of one M16 rifle, M653 rifle, two M14 rifles, one M79 Grenade Launcher with eight ammunition and an empty magazine of an M14 rifle in Barangay Cagmanipis, Tinambacan District, Calbayog City.

Lieutenant Colonel Nasser Arojo, Commanding Officer of the 43IB, said the arms cache was buried and was intended to be issued to the new recruits of NPA.

“This hidden war materiel was intended for their new recruits and that it could be surmised that the NPAs have no longer financial support given the number of ammunition recovered,” Arojo said.

The arms cache is the second recovery of firearms by the 43IB within its area of operation in the last two weeks. The battalion also recovered high-powered firearms and ammunition last 27 January in the hinterlands of San Isidro, Northern Samar.