In a significant victory against lawless elements, police forces have recovered a substantial arms cache believed to be owned by members of the New People’s Army (NPA) in Barangay Tablon, Oas, Albay.
Acting on crucial information provided by local residents, a coordinated operation was launched by the Philippine Army in cooperation with the Bicol Police Regional Office and other law enforcement units in Albay.
The joint forces unearthed a hidden cache containing: seven M16 rifles, one M16 rifle upper receiver with incomplete accessories, one M203 grenade launcher, one M14 rifle, one sniper rifle (nomenclature pending identification), assorted magazines and ammunition, and bandoliers.
The recovered weapons are believed to have been buried by high-ranking NPA commanders Romeo Nepalis (also known as “Ka Bokno/Mar”), Noel Olavides (AKA “Myra”), and Jeffrey Sesno (AKA “Encrypt/Fox”), according to officials.
Police Brig. Gen. Andre Dizon of the Bicol Police Regional Office emphasized that the recovery of these weapons has pre-empted potential threats to innocent civilians. He also praised the local citizens for their vigilance and the operating teams for their performance in this critical mission.
