Soldiers from the 62nd Infantry Battalion seized an NPA hideout in the hinterlands of Sitio Dawhan, Barangay Buenavista, Himamaylan City, Negros Occidental on New Year’s Day.
The hideout which was hurriedly left by the fleeing NPA terrorists can accommodate 20 of their members. It is near a cliff, has good water source, with a makeshift kitchen and formation area with a guard post, a press statement from the 303rd Infantry Brigade of the Army based at Camp Gerona in Minoyan, Murcia, Negros Occidental revealed.
The 62nd IB conducted combat operations during the holidays in the area to ensure that the NPA will not be able to conduct terroristic and extortion activities during the celebration of New Year, when it was seized.
Colonel Benedict Arevalo, 303rd Brigade Commander, commended the troops and he also expressed his gratitude to the community for giving information on the location of the NPA hideout.
He also reminded the troops to be relentless and aggressive in running after the NPAs in order to prevent them from conducting any atrocities.
“Your army will continue to conduct military operations with the support of the locals in the area, to prevent the NPAs from doing terroristic and extortion activities against our people especially that the election is fast approaching”, Arevalo added.* (Edith B. Colmo/NDB)