TACLOBAN CITY—The Philippine Army in Eastern Visayas has welcomed the arrival of an artillery platoon to help eradicate insurgents in Northern Samar province.
Philippine Army’s 8th Infantry Division (8ID) spokesperson, Capt. Jefferson Mariano, said in a phone interview Tuesday that the 2nd Howitzer Platoon of the Army’s Armor Artillery Regiment is highly trained to perform artillery operations.
The platoon previously assigned to Capiz province under the Army’s 3rd Infantry Division has two howitzer tubes and nine personnel.
“The platoon will be under the operational control of the 803rd Infantry Brigade. Their main effort is to confront the regional guerilla unit of the NPA’s (New People’s Army) Eastern Visayas regional party committee in the province of Northern Samar,” Mariano said.
The NPA unit has regrouped after the dismantling of two front committees in Northern Samar. The military said these NPA remnants are not in control of any village in the province.
The deployment of the Howitzer Platoon will bolster the existing firepower capabilities towards the complete eradication of the Communist Party of the Philippines-NPA in the region.
The 8ID formally welcomed the newly assigned platoon during a ceremony at Camp Vicente Lukban in Catbalogan City, Samar.
