FORMER REBELS REVEALED ARMS CACHE; 501IB YIELDS 4 HIGH-POWERED FIREARMS
Col. Ferdinand Melchor C. Dela Cruz, the newly installed brigade commander of the 501st Infantry Brigade in Lallo, Cagayan. Photo by: 501IB
LALLO, Cagayan– Four high-powered firearms were recovered by the joint intelligence operatives under the Operational Control of 501st Infantry Brigade (501IB), 5th Infantry Division, Philippine Army (5ID, PA) on Apr. 1, 2023, after the former rebels revealed the location of an arms cache at Brgy. Hacienda Intal, Baggao, Cagayan.
Col. Ferdinand Melchor C. Dela Cruz, brigade commander of 501IB said the firearms will be turned over to proper authorities to determine whether they were taken from the victims of atrocities of the government or given by individuals or politicians who were victims of their extortion and terrorism scheme.
The former rebels were said to have escaped from the armed Communist Terrorist Group under the Cagayan Valley Regional Committee of the Communist Party of the Philippines where they belong, during the successive firefights against the units of the 5ID, PA in February and March of this year.
It can be recalled that the recent encounters resulted to the death of three leaders and members and the recovery of high-powered firearms including a K3 Machine Gun.
Meanwhile, the former rebels revealed that they can no longer resist the hardships they encountered being “on-the-run” due to intensive focused military operations and the dwindling support from their previous mass bases and supporters. It may be noted that the recent armed engagements/encounters were due to reports of concerned citizens in the areas which used to be their lairs and safe havens.
The former rebels are now closely working with the government troops to finally decimate the remaining armed groups as the authorities, particularly the Provincial Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict are processing their E-CLIP benefits, and clearances for them to go back to the mainstream of the society and enjoy living freely, abandoning their fugitive lives.# 501st Infantry Brigade
