3 more NPA camps discovered in Caraga

BUTUAN CITY — Intensified military operations by men of the Army’s 402nd Infantry Brigade based in Agusan del Sur and Surigao del Sur have led to the discovery of three more huge camps of the New People’s Army (NPA) in the Caraga region.

The other day, a platoon of the 58th IB, headed by 2Lt. Sergio Mendez, discovered an NPA training camp believed belonging to the SDG 18 Front Committee 19 following a 15-minute firefight with the rebels in Barangay Libas, Lanuza, Surigao del Sur, military spokesman Maj. Alexis Noel Bravo said.

According to military reports, many guerrillas were killed and wounded in the clash, and none on the military side.

Seized by the soldiers were a caliber .45 pistol, two radio sets, a camera, two ammunition links of an M-60 machine gun, 10 land mines, two grenades, three detonating cords, 16 backpacks and subversive documents.

The two other NPA camps were found in Upper Hanipaan, San Agustin, Surigao del Sur, and in San Patricio, La Paz, Agusan del Sur.

Meanwhile, more than 30 NPA rebels attacked an Army detachment in Barangay Sua-on, Kapalong, Davao del Norte the other day.

The military said those manning the Army detachment shot it out with the rebels for about 10 minutes, forcing the latter to withdraw.