AUTHORITIES continue to hunt down the 14 armed members of the New People’s Army (NPA) who managed to escape on Friday, September 21, while two of their cohorts were arrested.
“They are now the subject of a massive Joint Manhunt Operations of the Regional and City Maneuver Forces,” Davao City Police Office (DCPO) director Police Senior Superintendent Alexander Tagum said Sunday, September 23.
On September 21, authorities conducted a combat operation at Purok 3, Barangay Langub, Davao City particularly at Lucob residence after they received intelligence information on the presence of armed men who were spotted in the area.
The male members were seen carrying short firearms running towards the forested area heading to Matina Pangi direction and Calinan district.
Based on the recovered evidence where they hid the items, it was apparent that they are planning to conduct an attack.
Tagum, meanwhile, condemned another attempt of the lefts to spoil the peace and order in Davao City.
“Based on our recovered surveillance and reconnaissance map that they did and which we recovered- obviously [they are planning an attack],” he said.
Recovered during the operation were live fragmentation grenade and assorted subversive documents, one unit homemade.3516 caliber revolver and drawn maps of their targets. Security forces likewise recovered hammocks, assorted medicines, new MC 12V battery with clamps and long wire and three single motorcycles.
Tagum called on the public’s cooperation to report immediately to authorities should they notice suspicious individuals in their communities for their immediate arrest.