Friday, January 26, 2007 Army overruns camp, set sights on Madlos By Lizanilla J. Amarga
MILITARY leaders Thursday disclosed how they are intensifying their manhunt for National Democratic Front (NDF) Mindanao spokesman Jorge "Ka Oris" Madlos after they overran the latter's camp in Sitio Greenfields, Barangay Sta. Juana, Tagbina, Surigao del Sur last Wednesday.
Government troops voiced high hopes that the capture of Madlos's camp will "degrade" the bomb-making capabilities of the communist rebels.
Sources from the NDF's armed wing, the New People's Army (NPA), Thursday claimed that Madlos was nowhere near the supposed camps that the military overran, though they failed to elaborate on this.
Madlos is said to be suffering from an acute kidney ailment and sent surrender feelers to the pursuing army troops.
The weapons seized were said to be part of the arms buildup by the communist rebels in line with the forthcoming anniversary of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP).
Armed Forces' 4th Infantry Division commanding general Jose Barbieto through his spokesman Major Samuel Sagun told Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro that their men recently captured the "biggest NPA bomb-making and ammunition factory in Mindanao."
He said they believe that Greenfields area is the regional guerilla base of these communist rebels led by Madlos and is where regional trainings and anniversaries are being held.
"We are now intensifying our manhunt for Madlos," the major said.
He added that the ongoing operations are being supported by two UH-1H and two MG520 helicopters from the Tactical Operations Group 10, and Philippine Air Force under Lieutenant Colonel Raul del Rosario.
After a series of encounters starting early January this year, Sagun said their 36th Infantry Battalion and elements from the 4ID Division Recon Company captured two caves in Surigao del Sur last January 24.
He said their troops were led by the 401st Infantry Brigade commander Colonel Jose Vizcarra and the 36th Infantry Battalion commander Lieutenant Colonel Joel Madarang.
"The troops recovered from a cave several bomb-making and ammunition reloading equipment," he said.
This includes 42 plastic containers of superdyne dynamite explosives that could produce about 250 pieces of 8-kilogram landmines, 18 pieces of claymore mines, an M14 rifle, an M16 rifle, a Rocket Propelled Grenade (RPG) launcher, two mortar baseplates and a B40 anti-tank weapon baseplate.
Also, a set of rifle ammunition reloading machine, 13mm electric drill press machine, 76 pieces M60 machinegun ammunition, detonating wires and two pieces expanders.
Sagun said due to thick foliage, about 100 plastic containers of superdyne dynamite explosives buried within the vicinity of the caves are still to be dug up.
Last week, he said the troops recovered a Rocket Propelled Grenade (RPG) launcher, a B40 anti-tank weapon, a motorcycle, 4 volumes of the communist Ang Bayan publication, 4 Lingkawas magazine, and other items belonging to Madlos after a brief firefight southeast of Greenfields.
"The capture of the communist terrorists' factory will definitely degrade their bomb-making capability in Mindanao," he said.
Sagun said the discovery of the huge explosive depot or factory has also evidently proved that the CPP-NPA "should remain to be tagged as an International Terrorist Group."
"The mass supporters of the CTs have already shown their willingness to be freed from the clutches of communism with the information they have given that led to the successes of the combat operations," he said. "With these, Madlos must face the full force of the law."
Sagun said the military has already coordinated with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and local government units in the rehabilitation of Sitio Greenfields, Barangay Sta. Juana and other nearby barangays.
"Civilians are already complaining about the excesses of the CTs like forced taxation in the form of money and agricultural products," he said. "The military expects the communist legal fronts to denounce the ongoing combat operations is which being conducted with utmost care in respect to human rights."
At least seven clashes between the NPA guerillas and government troops were recorded since the military operations in Tagbina started last January 8.
A rebel was killed while several others were wounded in those clashes, the military claimed. (With a report from Stephen Capillas and Sunnex)
