THE combined elements of the 42nd Infantry Battalion and Eastern Samar Police Provincial Office (ESPPO) conducted a Joint AFP-PNP Focused Military Operation (FMO) that resulted in the recovery of 11 firearms, 3 anti-personnel mines, and other war materials.
Because of this, another victory was recorded on the part of the government troops but, this was a devastating loss on the part of the terrorist group CPP-NPA in the continuing localized peace engagement (LPE) in Barangay Boco in can-avid Eastern Samar on July 17, 2023.
The Focused Military Operation was launched after testimony of a former rebel who returned to the folds of the government and revealed to authorities where leftist groups hid the said war materials.
These include (4) M16 rifles; (5) M14 rifles; (1) M79 grenade launcher; (1) shotgun; (3) anti-personnel mines; 200 rounds of different live ammunition and other war documents.
Lieutenant General Benedict M. Arevalo PA, Commander of Visayas Command (VISCOM) emphasized that the Localized Peace Engagement has a huge part in the campaign against the terrorist group CPP-NPA in the Visayas region.
“Localized Peace Engagement is an integral part of our campaign in defeating the CPP-NPA in the region,” LtGen. Benedict M. Arevalo, Commander, VISCOM said.
Arevalo added that the said action is very effective in reducing the manpower and armed capability of the terrorists without the troops firing a single shot.
“This effort has been proven to be very effective in degrading both the manpower and armed capability of the terrorist group without having our troops fired a single shot,” Arevalo added.
It can be recalled that on June 18th, an NPA’s arms cache containing (4) firearms and (4) anti-personnel mines were recovered by the government troops in Brgy Dao, Oras, Eastern Samar.
This was made possible following a revelation from a former rebel brought about by the continuous engagement of the troops with the said former rebel.
With this, LtGen. Arevalo again promises that they will continue the implementation of the localized peace engagement because of its good results in maintaining peace in their region.
“Our Localized Peace Engagement will be sustained. We will continue to engage the members of the CPP-NPA on the ground as this has provided us with substantial result in our quest to attain just and lasting peace in the region,” Arevalo added.
Furthermore, the official said that this is evidence that their only focus is to end the armed struggle and not to kill their fellow Filipinos.
“Likewise, this effort manifests that our focus and ultimate objective is to end the local communist armed conflict and not on killing our own people,” he said.
Lastly, Lt.Gen. Arevalo lauded the troops on their relentless effort to attain peace and he also again encouraged the remaining members of CPP-NPA to return to the folds of the law – heed the call of our government.
“I commend our troops for their unyielding drive to end the local communist armed conflict in the Visayas region. As such, I urge the few remaining members of the terrorist group to lay down their arms and return to the folds of the law – heed the call of our government, and be a part of the peaceful and genuine solution to attain peace and progress in this part of the country,” he said.
