THE 16th Infantry Battalion under the 2nd Infantry Division of the Philippine Army discovered an armed cache and recovered assorted war materials in Sitio Kialaw, Barangay Malabog, Paquibato District, Davao City on November 1.
The troops under the 16th IB received the information from three former communist rebels of Pulang Bagani Command (PBC 1) on the location of the war paraphernalia.
According to the army, the former rebels “surrendered to the unit due to hardship and useless armed struggle that is irrelevant to the economic development particularly in Paquibato District, Davao City.”
The unit proceeded to the area to conduct an operation plan that resulted in the recovery of one caliber 22mm sniper rifle with Serial Number 352-79675 attached with bipod, scope and silencer; one anti-tank landmine; one anti-personnel landmine; two blasting caps; 100-meter electrical wire for improvised explosive device (IED); and two civilian backpacks with assorted personal belongings.
On November 2, they seized one caliber 30M1 Springfield (Garand) US rifle with serial number 4362968 in the same area.
"The recovery of assorted war materiel is a result of the unit's right mix of TRIAD operations coupled with the support from the Local Government Units (LGUs), PNP and peace loving communities that encourages the members of the armed group to returns to the folds of the law,” Lieutenant Colonel Rey Pasco, commanding officer of 16IB, said.