AUTHORITIES recovered explosives cache of the New People’s Army (NPA) in Bayog, Zamboanga del Sur, the military said Tuesday, May 6, 2025.
The 53rd Infantry Battalion (53IB) said the recovery of the cache of explosives came after a former mass base supporter of the defunct Mobile Regional Guerrilla Unit (MRGU) volunteered information about the hidden war materials.
The MRGU operates under the NPA’s Western Mindanao Regional Party Committee (WMRPC).
The cache of explosives was recovered on Sunday, May 4, in Sigacad village, Bayog, Zamboanga del Sur. Recovered from the site were 10 rifle grenades and 11 ammunition for caliber 40-millimeter grenade launcher.
The former mass base supporter of the MRGU took an Oath of Allegiance before Bayog Mayor Celso Matias, who chairs the Municipal Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (MTF-ELCAC).
“During the custodial debriefing, the former mass supporter reveals the existence of an explosives cache buried near his residence,” the 53IB said in a statement.
These explosives, he said, were left behind by remnants of the defunct MRGU-WMRPC when they sought refuge in the area during past military operations.
The mass supporter had personally buried the explosives during the group’s active presence in the area.
However, prompted by the intensified security operations and ongoing information campaigns of the 53IB on the dangers of loose firearms and explosives, he felt compelled to come forward and help prevent potential threats to community safety.
“The peaceful surrender of the former mass supporter and the successful recovery of deadly explosives are clear outcomes of effective collaboration among the Bayog MTF-ELCAC, 53IB, and the police of Bayog. His brave decision to turnover these weapons removes threats to public safety and serves as a strong message of hope and reconciliation for others still holding on to the past,” Lieutenant Colonel Rolando Vargas, Jr., 53IB commander said.
“We continue to call on remaining supporters and former members of the insurgency to follow this example, embrace peace, and help build a more secure and developed Zamboanga del Sur,” Vargas added.
He said the accomplishment reflects the sustained commitment of the 53IB and its partners in building resilient, peaceful, and progressive communities through trust-based engagements and proactive peace-building strategies.
The recovered explosives were placed under the custody of the 53IB for safekeeping. (SunStar Zamboanga)