MANILA, Philippines — Various high-powered firearms, ammunition, and explosives have been confiscated in a raid in Laguna, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said.

In a statement, PNP chief Police General Debold Sinas said elements from the PNP-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, along with local CALABARZON Police units conducted an operation on Tuesday in Sta. Rosa, Laguna.

The subject of the operation was a suspected “armorer” of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) Special Partisan Unit (SPARU).

The team was armed with a search warrant issued against respondent Maritess Santos David alias Teacher Laly by Tanauan City, Batangas Regional Trial Court Branch 66 Presiding Judge Charito Macalintal-Sawali, Sinas said.

The respondent was not present, but the PNP said the orderly search was witnessed by barangay officials who duly acknowledged the inventory of the following seized weapons and war materials:

• One M1 cal. 30 carbine
• One M2 cal.30 automatic carbine
• One Bushmaster rifle
  One unit M16 ELISCO Rifle
• Three Cal .45 Pistols
• 38 rounds of live ammunition
• Nine rounds of 40mm grenade
• 15 Pieces of Improvised Anti-personnel mine
• One Improvised Anti-troop carrier mine
• Three pieces improvised Claymore Mine
• One pc. Claymore mine
• One unit Laptop (SAMSUNG) with charger
• Four envelopes containing Subversive Documents and streamers
• Different materials for making IED such as wires, switches, blasting caps, and detonating cord.

The police search team also found some documents that contain 19 CPP-NPA-NDF internal publications and training materials on the fundamental communist course and advanced revolutionary warfare.

Also found among the cache of weapons were several subversive streamers and campaign paraphernalia, the PNP added.

“The discovery of this clandestine communist terrorist armory bolsters earlier assessment by CIDG that the CPP-NPA is maintaining staging areas and weapons storage in CALABARZON for its urban hit squads to launch attacks in Metro Manila,” Sinas said.

MANILA, Philippines – Two suspected members of the New People’s Army (NPA) were killed in an armed encounter with police troops in Sta. Catalina, Negros Oriental, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said Tuesday.

PNP chief Police General Debold Sinas said the clash ensued on Monday between the members of the PNP Special Action Force Commando Course Class 105-2019 on a test mission and an undetermined number of NPA rebels.

Sinas said the encounter occurred while police troops were conducting combat operations in the areas of Barangay Nagbinlod, Alangilan, and Nagbalaye, Sta. Catalina, Negros Oriental.

“The gun battle resulted in the death of two NPA terrorists while no casualties were reported on the government side,” the PNP chief said in a statement.

Police troops recovered the following items from the encounter site:

• One chamber loaded M16 Rifle with serial number 9623781
• One Caliber .22 Revolver Magnum loaded with six pieces live ammunition
• Three pieces M16 short steel magazines loaded with 40 pieces live ammunitions
• 13 pieces 12 gauge shotgun ammunition
• One magazine of caliber .45 pistol loaded with one piece live ammunition
• One magazine of KG-9 Sub-machine gun loaded with 16 pieces of live ammunition
• 16 pieces of live ammunition of caliber 9mm. Pistol
• One magazine pouch of caliber .45 pistol
• Six pieces cellphone (1 android phone and 5 keypad phone, one of the keypad phone was wired suspected to be used as triggering device)
• 17 Sim cards
• One handheld radio (Baofeng)
• Eight pairs of boots
• Assorted ammunition
• Other CPP-NPA documents of intelligence value

“The Philippine National Police is determined to end the communist insurgency, including all fronts of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and its armed wing, the New People’s Army,” Sinas said.

MANILA, Philippines — Five rebels have surrendered to the forces of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) in Polillo, Quezon Province.

Based on reports,  alias Gio and alias Patrick who were members of the New People’s Army (NPA), surrendered to the government forces on March 25 in Barangay Salipsip, Polilio, Quezon. They also turned in their firearms and ammunitions.

Another member of the NPA, identified as alias JM, also yielded in Sta Maria, Laguna on the same day. Meanwhile, alias Dexter and alias Joan, also remnants of NPA group in the boundaries of Rizal and Laguna, voluntarily surrendered to the AFP-PNP.

Alias JM, in an interview, said that the hardships they endured as rebels and the complete disregard for their welfare pushed them to abandon the armed struggle.

Acting Commander of 2nd Infantry Division B.Gen. Rommel Tello welcomed the rebels’ move and assured the group that the government will provide assistance to them and their families.

“Your wise decision to abandon armed struggle marks a new beginning for you and your loved ones. With your help, we shall build a better and safer country for our families and fellowmen while we ensure that you are secured from any terrorist acts of retaliation,” he said addressing the former rebels.

The 2ID already made necessary steps for the surrenderers including debriefing and medical check up with health professionals prior their subsequent enrollment to government’s program wherein they can receive up to Php700,000 in grants and benefits to help them and their families start their lives anew.