Eastern Samar troops recover weapons, ammo

DOLORES, Eastern Samar — Government troops recovered an additional automatic rifle and assorted war materiel during clearing operations in the hinterlands of Sitio Canrumbay, Barangay Jicontol, on Sunday.

Soldiers from the 52nd Infantry “Agila” Battalion discovered the weapons cache while sweeping the area following a 31 October armed encounter with members of the New People’s Army that left two communist rebels dead.

During the follow-up operation, troops found an abandoned M4 carbine rifle, 250 rounds of 5.56mm ammunition, five firearm magazines, and one bandolier left behind by fleeing insurgents.

Lt. Col. Sandy Sereño, commanding officer of the 52nd Infantry Battalion, said post-encounter clearing operations are vital to securing nearby rural communities.

“The responsibility of our troops does not end with the conclusion of an encounter,” Sereño said. “We remain committed to conducting necessary follow-up operations to ensure that no firearms or war materiel are left behind that could potentially be recovered and used to threaten the safety of our communities.”

Military officials noted that the recovery further degrades the operational capacity of remaining insurgent groups in Eastern Samar, preventing them from regrouping or staging further armed actions in the area.