Troops overrun rebel camp

KIDAPAWAN CITY -- The military in North Cotabato overran a suspected training camp of New People's Army (NPA) in Makilala, North Cotabatao after fighting with the communist rebels Thursday.

Lieutenant Andolong Durado, chief of Army's 57th Infantry Battalion civil military operations, said the soldiers recovered from the rebel camp several bomb-making materials, including electrical wires, detonating cords, and a thousand pieces of bar soap, one of the ingredients in making improvised explosive devices (IEDs).

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The camp, according to military reports, has nine bunkers, five of which are located underground where troops found several food stuffs, including 14 kilos of Quaker Oats, four sacks of rice, cup noodles, and water containers.

They also recovered from the area several pairs of military uniforms, combat boots, five ladies' sweatshirts with logos of the Bagong Hukbong Bayan, and other personal belongings owned by the rebels.

Durado said the soldiers, belonging to the 57th IB, Scout Rangers Company, and 62nd Division Reconnaissance Company of the 6th Infantry Division, started the attack at 6:15 a.m. Thursday after receiving reports the NPAs are massing in troops at Sitio Macalangit in Barangay New Israel, Makilala.

Around 9:30 a.m., the soldiers were able to overrun the camp after the rebels abandoned the area.

Though the attack has surprised the rebels, there were no reports of casualties from the enemy side, said Durado.

"What we saw were traces of blood in the area, meaning, some of them could have died or were wounded during the attack but were carried by their comrades during their withdrawal," he said.

The Army considered the attack one of their major accomplishments this year.

"This proves that we have already gained the trust of the masses. They were the ones that tipped us of the presence of the NPAs in the area," Lieutenant Colonel Bernie Langub, commander of the 57th IB, said.

The attack came after series of roadside blasts in Magpet and Makilala towns, both in North Cotabato, which hit a number of military vehicles and wounded several soldiers.

The latest of the rebels' atrocity was the raid they staged at Luz Village in M'lang, also in North Cotabato, where a militia was killed and four others, including two civilians, were wounded.