Army seizes war materials in Batangas; disrupts Aurora food cache

The Philippine Army recovered assorted war materiel believed to belong to the New People’s Army (NPA) in Batangas on Tuesday, following a tip from a concerned civilian.

The 2nd Infantry (Jungle Fighter) Division (2ID) reported that troops from the 59th Infantry (Protector) Battalion immediately conducted verification operations on Monday in Barangay San Isidro, Rosario, Batangas and the operation led to the discovery of a sack hidden in a secluded area containing firearms, ammunition, and other military-related items.

Recovered from the site were one M1 Carbine, a shotgun, a bandolier, two M16 magazines, and various ammunition rounds, including M203 40mm grenades, rifle rounds and shotgun shells.

Major Gen. Ramon Zagala, commander of the 2ID, commended the vigilance of the local community and the swift response of the troops.

He said the prompt action of the 59th Infantry Battalion reflects the professionalism of the soldiers and the growing trust between the military and the communities they serve.

“This cooperation continues to deny the terrorist NPA the resources and space they need to operate, further weakening their capability and helping keep our communities safe, especially during the yuletide season,” Zagala said.

Following the discovery, all nearby deployed units were placed on heightened alert to strengthen security and prevent possible actions by insurgent remnants. The 2nd Infantry Division reiterated its call for the public to remain vigilant and report suspicious activities.

In a separate development, the Philippine Army’s Joint Task Group (JTG) 7-2 discovered a food cache belonging to the dismantled Communist Terrorist Group (CTG) Komiteng Rehiyon Gitnang Luzon (KRGL) in Sitio Diamut, Barangay Nonong, San Luis, Aurora, also on Monday.

The security operation was conducted as part of the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ sustained campaign to prevent the resurgence of insurgent activities and preserve peace gains in Central Luzon.

The operation was the result of reconnaissance patrol conducted by troops from the 91st, 84th, 70th, 69th, and 71st Infantry Battalions, in coordination with Division Reconnaissance Companies of the 7th and 2nd Infantry Divisions.

As a direct result of the operation, troops recovered food items intended to sustain the dismantled KRGL’s operational and survival requirements, including two 30-liter blue containers filled with rice grains and two 7-liter containers filled with white sugar.

Brig. Gen. Eugenio Julio C. Osias IV, commander of the 703rd Infantry (AGILA) Brigade, said the capture of these supplies significantly disrupts any remaining efforts of the dismantled KRGL to regroup or rebuild support systems.