Army seizes 2 NPA camps in Iloilo

MANILA, Philippines - Army troops have seized two camps of the New People’s Army (NPA) in Iloilo.

Maj. Ray Tiongson, spokesman of the Army’s 3rd division, said the two camps were occupied by soldiers during operations conducted in Tubungan and Miag-ao last week.

The first rebel camp is located in Sitio Tig-atay, Barangay Igpaho in Tubungan, town and was seized last Feb. 6. The encampment can accommodate around 70 persons and has 12 bunkers, 15 posts, two bathroomss, a classroom and a kitchen.

Two days later, Army troops seized another camp in Sitio Tigmarabas, Barangay Ongyod in Miag-ao town.

Tiongson said the camp can host about 50 people and has 20 bunkers, five observation posts, two bathrooms and an administrative building.

“The discovery of these NPA camps is a clear manifestation of the NPA’s waning group. They continue to lose their grounds and their mass base of support,” said Col. Eric Uchida, chief of the Army’s 301st brigade.

Tiongson said a total of 42 NPA camps have been discovered by the 3rd Infantry Division last year.  Eighteen of the rebel camps were located in Panay while 24 were in Negros.