CAMP EVANGELISTA, Cagayan de Oro City – Numerous war materiel with packs of food supplies and a high-powered firearm were seized by the troops of the 65th Infantry Battalion under the operational control of the 901st Infantry Brigade of the 4th Infantry Division following an intensified focused military operation (FMO) on May 21 – 22 in Caraga region.
The 65IB under Lieutenant Colonel Michel G. Mortejo, under the operational control of the 901st Infantry Brigade led by BGen. Arsenio DC Sadural, launched a focused military operation in its area of operations that resulted in the discovery of a supply cache containing a stash of ammunition on Tuesday, May 22 in a cave at Purok 6, Brgy. Kolambogan, Sibagat, Agusan del Sur. Said cache contained numerous rounds of ammunition of M16 Rifle, M14 Rifle, Cal. 30mm Garand Rifle including Hand Fragmentation Grenade, Rifle Grenades, 40mm M203 Grenade, Blasting Cap and Detonating Wire for Anti-Personnel Mine (APM) and other war materiel.
The discovery of ammunition supply came after the Special Intelligence Operations of 65IB on May 21 seized a food cache at the ‘Pinaminahan’ area in the same barangay following a tip-off from a concerned citizen about the supply facilitation of CPP-NPA Terrorists (CNTs) belonging to the members of the SRSDG Westland, SRC Westland of the so-called North Eastern Mindanao Regional Committee (NEMRC).
“Our troops quickly responded after a thorough verification of the information we received. With the capture of these food and ammunition supplies, the CTG operations will be heavily affected and disrupted, particularly its capability in conducting criminal activities and other atrocities as the local populace no longer provides them any kind of support,” Lt. Col. Mortejo said.
Meanwhile, Special Recon Team, also under the operational control of the 901st Infantry Brigade led by BGen. Arsenio DC Sadural, captured one (1) M16 Rifle, bandoliers and magazines after a 20-minute encounter against the members of the Regional Headquarters, NEMRC in Brgy. Camayahan, Butuan City, Agusan del Norte on Wednesday afternoon, May 22.
In his statement, Major General Jose Maria R. Cuerpo II, Commander of 4ID, said the communist terrorist group (CTG) will continue to be demoralized with their resources being depleted. “We will conduct intensified FMOs with the help of the civilian populace who are providing us reliable information on the whereabouts of these remaining CNTs. We will not stop until these remaining terrorist criminal groups will finally collapse and their few remaining members will choose to embrace the path to peace. With the collaborative efforts of our troops and the local government unit and line agencies under the Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict, we can end this fight soon enough and continuously facilitate peace and development for every community,” He added.
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