GOVERNMENT forces have recovered an arms cache of the New People's Army (NPA) rebels in a remote village in the province of Zamboanga del Norte, the military reported.
The Army's 44th Infantry Battalion (IB) said the arms cache contained one M16A1 rifle, three M1 carbine rifles without butt stock, one Garand rifle without butt stock and empty M16 rifle magazine.
The arms cache was recovered by the military and police intelligence team and of the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (Nica)-9 Saturday, January 15 in Sitio Tiosan, Nasibac village, Leon B. Postigo, Zamboanga del Norte.
The arms cache belongs to former members of Main Regional Guerilla Unit (MRGU) and dismantled Guerilla Front Feliciano Alpha of the NPA's Western Mindanao Regional Party Committee.
The 44IB said the arms cache was recovered by on information provided by former NPA rebels based in the municipality of Leon B Postigo.
It added that Ramonito Sumasay, alias Ka Mando, former head of the NPA's HQ Kalaw, was recently arrested in a joint military and police law enforcement operations in the province of Zamboanga del Norte.
Sumasay is detained and facing charges of three counts of murder, illegal possession of firearm and violation of Section 9 (b)(5) - recruitment, conscription or enlistment of children into government forces and other armed groups of Republic Act 11188, otherwise known as the Special Protection of Children in Situations of Armed Conflict Act. (SunStar Zamboanga)