Army attacks insurgents’ camp

TACLOBAN CITY — Soldiers from the Philippine Army’s 63rd Infantry Battalion launched an attack against a New People’s Army (NPA) camp in Eastern Samar last 8 September, underscoring the military’s continued efforts to combat the communist insurgency in the region.

The raid in Barangay Magtino, Llorente, was prompted by reports from residents who said they saw remnants of the communist group asking for food in the area. The camp is believed to have housed 13 members of the Sub-Regional Committee SESAME of the Eastern Visayas Regional Party Committee.

Soldiers seized two M16 rifles, a .45-caliber pistol and multiple magazines of ammunition from the site. They also recovered five backpacks containing personal belongings and food.

Lt. Col. Eduardo Meclat Jr., commanding officer of the 63rd Infantry Battalion, said the operation aims to “continuously insulate and protect the communities from the threats of the NPA remnants in the area.”

“Through timely intelligence and the active cooperation of the community, government forces were able to pinpoint the NPA’s exact location,” Meclat said. “The successful conduct of the combat operation has proven that the people and the communities are already inhospitable to the armed group.”

Brig. Gen. Noel Vestuir, commander of the 802nd Infantry Brigade, commended the community’s resolve to preserve peace.

“The people in the area are already enjoying the peace that we have worked hard for quite some time, and we don’t want that peace to be disrupted by the presence of NPA remnants,” Vestuir said. He also reiterated his call for the remaining members of the group to abandon armed struggle.

In a related effort to promote peace, the Eastern Samar provincial government will conduct a Retooled Community Support Program (RCSP) in six barangays across two municipalities.

According to Provincial Administrator Nelson Cortez, the initiative will bring government services to the communities. The RCSP is designed to address the root causes of insurgency by empowering communities to identify their own issues, leading to government interventions and sustainable development.