Security authorities have stormed heavy concentration of New People’s Army in the hinterlands of Samar, but full details on casualties were not immediately available other than blood stains along the escape route.
Joint Task Force Storm and 8th Infantry Division command Maj. Gen. Pio Dinoso said some 50 NPA terrorists were surprised after Supersonic jets unleashed 500-pound bombs in the ridges of Brgy Caputoan, Las Vegas, Northern Samar early Saturday morning.
The NPA rebels led by Ceriaco Jesusalem, alias Cado, of the Northern Samar command was disrupted after Air Force attack aircraft pounded their lair.
Operating ground troops claimed the rebels scampered and fled, some of them critically wounded as indicated by blood stains along the withdrawal point.
Dinoso said the NPA group was monitored conducting extortion in the communities in the province, prompting ground troops to locate the terrorists.
“The JTF Storm orchestrated the joint operations to locate and annihilate the said NPA group which had been monitored doing extortion from the communities in the province,” Dinoso said.
The bomb run, he claimed, had obliterated makeshift huts and other improvised structures inside the camp.
The troops had recovered 11 civilian back packs, three military back packs, seven hammocks, two sacks of rice, assorted food supplies, one box of dried fish, two sacks of land mine, three cellphones, one ICOM handheld radio, one laptop, one landline tested, one roll detonating cord, four live Shotgun bullets, 13 M16 ammunitions, two improvised grenades, two anti-tank land mines, assorted medical supplies and documents.
“JTF STORM conveys its gratitude to the relentless support of the civilians who fearlessly report the intimidation and extortion activities conducted by the communist terrorist group,” Dinoso said.
“The communist rebels, however, are urged to voluntarily surrender by laying down their arms for them to enjoy the quality of life they deserve to live with their loved ones,” Dinoso added.