Army credits teams’ ties with locals in locating rebel lair

By Nanette Guadalquiver, July 28, 2020

The Philippine Army’s 3rd Infantry Division (3ID) has credited the collaboration of its Community Support Program (CSP) teams with residents of far-flung villages in locating the hideout of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) in southern Negros.

Maj. Gen. Eric Vinoya, commander of the ID, said today that the locals helped the troops by providing them accurate information on the location of the communist-terrorists.
On July 21, troops of the 15th Infantry Battalion (15IB) overran a rebel hideout after a clash with the rebels in Barangay Camindangan, Sipalay City. The lair in Sitio Calagmakan can accommodate about 60 persons.

Soldiers found the area after engaging some 20 members of the NPA’s South West Front Platoon 2, Sentro de Grabidad to a 15-minute firefight.

They seized an improvised explosive device, a generator set, electrical wires, a pair of binoculars, a blood pressure apparatus, and a computer printer. Other items recovered included
subversive documents, teach-in materials, office supplies, a map of Negros, containers of gasoline, personal items, foodstuff, and cooking utensils.

“The people’s vigilance in supporting their Army was indeed a great help not only in capturing the communist-terrorists’ lair but also in preventing the enemy from causing terroristic activities like landmine attacks,” Vinoya said.

He added the Army’s CSP campaign in the area has been effective in raising awareness among the residents on the importance of people’s participation in addressing the insurgency problem.

Following the fall of the NPA lair in Sipalay, Vinoya directed the 15IB troops to continue pursuing the remaining communist-terrorists in the area until they will run out of places to hide and be rendered irrelevant to the community.

Earlier, Lt. Col Erwin Cariño, commanding officer of 15IB, thanked the village residents for their support to the troops by providing information that led them to discover the rebels’ hideout.

He said their cooperation is a manifestation of the growing mass resistance to the presence and influence of the CPP-NPA.

The CPP-NPA is listed as a terrorist organization by the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the Philippines.