Ecija cops discover NPA lair; survival kits, IED materials seized
LAUR, Nueva Ecija – A five-day joint internal security operation (ISO) by the authorities led to the discovery of an alleged New People’s Army (NPA) encampment where a food cache, assorted medicines, and suspected components for bomb-making were recovered.
In a report to Nueva Ecija top cop Col. Richard Caballero, Lt. Col. Robert Agustin, 1st Provincial Mobile Force Company (PMFC) chief, said the joint ISO was implemented following revelations made by a former rebel, who surrendered to his unit last December 6.
Agustin said his men, in collaboration with several police stations, the Philippine Army (PA), the provincial intelligence unit-NEPPO (Nueva Ecija Police Provincial Office), and the provincial unit of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) conducted the operation in Barangay San Fernando Sur here from December 10 to 14.
Recovered were two plastic containers full of rice, two boxes of Fita brand biscuits, eight Lucky Me! instant noodles, assorted clothes, assorted medicines, two PVC 3” pipes, two kilos of size 2” nails, four IV needles and four IV fluids of sodium chloride, a rifle bag, and suspected components for an improvised explosive device (IED) such as half-sack of ammonium nitrate, a container half-full of kerosene, and eight-to-ten meters long of flat chord wire.
Agustin said the recovered items are now under the custody of his unit for proper documentation, while the seized IED components were turned over to the Nueva Ecija provincial explosives and canine unit for proper disposition.
