TACLOBAN CITY – Government troops recovered a cache of explosives and medical supplies in Barangay Canlobo, Pinabacdao town, Samar, believed to have been left behind by remnants of the dismantled Eastern Visayas Regional Party Committee of the New People’s Army (NPA) on Friday, July 18.

The seizure, carried out by soldiers from the 63rd Infantry Battalion, was made possible through information provided by concerned residents of the village, signaling continued community support for the government’s anti-insurgency campaign.

Brigadier General Noel Vestuir, commander of the Army’s 802nd Infantry Brigade, said the troops discovered items including four high-explosive rifle grenades, one hand grenade, one improvised explosive device (IED), three remote-controlled IEDs, two portable generators, and two SIM cards.

Also recovered were several medical items such as six IV cannulas, 17 packs of syringes, 10 catheters, two IV fluids, a digital blood pressure monitor, and 14 surgical gloves—indicating that sick or elderly insurgents may have been hiding in the area.

“We know that many of you are struggling, and some are suffering from serious illnesses,” BGen. Vestuir said, addressing the remaining members of the NPA. “Don’t waste the opportunity being offered by the government. Now is the time to return to the fold of the law and live a peaceful life.”

Aside from the explosives and medical gear, troops also retrieved 15 notebooks, seven hard drives, and various subversive documents which are now being analyzed for further intelligence.

B/Gen. Vestuir thanked the residents of Barangay Canlobo for their cooperation and urged them to continue supporting government efforts to end the local communist armed conflict in the region.

Authorities have intensified clearing operations in Samar province, which has long been considered a stronghold of communist insurgency in Eastern Visayas. The military believes that with continuous community cooperation, the few remaining NPA elements in the area can soon be neutralized.

(ROEL T. AMAZONA)