SECURITY forces have recovered a high-powered firearm of the New People’s Army (NPA) as the government continues to push its campaign to put an end to the insurgency problem here in Mindanao, the military reported Thursday, November 2, 2023.
The Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom) said the high-powered firearm, a 7.62-millimeter RPK-47 light machinegun with bipod and three empty magazines, was buried underneath a large boulder in San Lorenzo Ruiz village in Sinacaban, Misamis Occidental on Sunday, October 29.
Westmincom said the location of the buried machinegun was revealed to the 10th Infantry Battalion (IB) troops by Armida Nabicis alias Ka Yumi, an NPA political instructor, who was recently captured by the troops.
Nabicis was captured following a firefight that saw the death of an NPA leader, Michael Cabayag alias Ka Teddy, in Carmen village, Jimenez, Misamis Occidental on October 26.
Nabicis told the 10IB troops the machinegun was damaged during a clash with the government forces in Bagong Baguio village, Sergio Osmeña, Zamboanga del Norte on September 15.
Nabicis and Cabayag are both of the weakened NPA Guerrilla Font Sedong.
Major General Steve Crespillo, commander of Western Mindanao Command, said the snowball of surrenders and recovery of firearms manifests the downfall of the communist terrorist group in Mindanao.
“I urge the remnants of the group to lay down their arms and avail of the Enhance Comprehensive Local Integration Program offered by the government,” Crespillo added. (SunStar Zamboanga)