The troops of the 78th Infantry Battalion seized an arms cache in the Municipality of General MacArthur, Eastern Samar and facilitated the surrender of two members of a Communist-Terrorist Group (CTG) earlier this week.
Captain Jefferson Mariano, Chief of the Philippine Army’s 8th Infantry Division Public Affairs Office, reported that Alias Jacobe, the Vice Squad leader, and Alias Aquilla, both from the remnants of the Apoy Platoon within the Sub-Regional Committee (SRC) Sesame of the Eastern Visayas Regional Party Committee (EVRPC), disclosed the locations of hidden arms caches in the remote villages of Osmeña and Laurel in General MacArthur.
The recovered arms cache included two M16 rifles, two M14 rifles, one .30 caliber Springfield rifle, and one AK-47 rifle.
In addition to these weapons, troops also seized hundreds of rounds of ammunition, several magazines, personal belongings, and subversive documents containing high intelligence value.
Brigadier General Noel Vestuir, Commander of the 802nd Brigade, commended the troops for their professionalism and successful negotiation that led to the surrender of these individuals.
“Two lives were saved from the grip of a dead ideology. It’s only a matter of time before all members of SRC Sesame will be neutralized. The success of this operation is credited to the tireless efforts of the 802nd Brigade in conducting comprehensive debriefings with former rebels and implementing programs such as the E-FReE Families program and Project APOY,” he said.
The Enhanced Friends Rescued Engagement through Families (E-FReE) program is an initiative by the Army aimed at empowering families of active New People’s Army (NPA) members to encourage their loved ones to surrender and seek assistance from both military and local government entities.
Brigadier General Perfecto P. Peñaredondo, Acting Commander of the 8th Infantry Division (8ID), reiterated his appeal to remaining CTG members to give peace a chance by availing themselves of the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-CLIP).
“These successes are the results of concerted efforts by our ground troops, supported firmly by our Local Chief Executives and an awakened citizenry. These collaborative efforts aim to finally put an end to the decades-long insurgency problem here in Eastern Visayas. Our initiatives are becoming increasingly effective and responsive to the needs and aspirations of the people.”
