An abandoned camp by the New People’s Army (NPA) was discovered recently in Barangay Abaroan, Roxas municipality by government troops during an intensified focused military operation.
Captain Cherryl Tindog, the spokesperson of the Western Command (WESCOM) and the chief of its Public Affairs Office (PAO), said Friday the abandoned camp was discovered on January 9 by operatives of the Joint Task Group North (JTGN).
She said it measures around 300 square meters on an elevated area and secured from enemy surprise attacks by five layers of stopgaps or outposts.
“Every layer has different makeshift tables, chairs, shelters, etcetera. ‘Yong mga bunkers gawa sa newly-cut trees with laminated sacks and improvised wooded beds,” she said.
The JTGN troops, which are under the leadership of Lieutenant Colonel Bill Pasia of Marine Battalion Landing Team 12 (MBLT 12), found a total of 19 makeshifts within the abandoned camp.
The entrance is on the southwest portion of the camp and has a trail that leads to Sitio Nagkakaisa, Barangay Abaroan.
While there was no weapon or ammunition found in the area, Tindog said operating troops continue to conduct pursuit and clearing operations.
“Abandoned na kasi baka may nakapagsabi din sa kanila na dahil sa community cooperation ay mayroong intensified focused military operations kami. ‘Yong camp parang pang matagalan siguro nilang gagamitin pero dahil may operations, iniwan na nila,” she said.
The abandoned camp is now under WESCOM’s troops, Tindog added.
Meanwhile, Commodore Dorvin Jose L. Legaspi, the acting commander of WESCOM, said the latest discovery of the camp is a successful feat for the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) as it continues to gain more strategic and tactical values against the “communist-terrorists”.
Legaspi said it was made possible through the cooperation of the communities that are actively supporting WESCOM in its fight against “communist terrorism” and all forms of security threats, clearly rejecting the NPA as a whole.
“We urge the NPA members to surrender and return to the folds of the law. The government has good integration programs waiting for them to help them to start new lives. We also urge our local constituents to sustain the cooperation that has been established through information sharing,” said Legaspi.
For any security-related information, he said, WESCOM can be contacted through Hotline 09178960014.
