By Jennifer P. Rendon
A rifle recovered during the February 28 encounter with the New People’s Army (NPA) in San Joaquin, Iloilo, was originally taken during the rebel group’s raid on the Maasin Municipal Police Station in 2017.
The clash at Barangay Torocadan, San Joaquin resulted in four suspected rebels killed and another injured.
The 61st Infantry Battalion troops retrieved four M16 Armalite rifles, an AK47 rifle, three bandoliers, eight long magazines for M16 rifles with ammunition, five long magazines for M16 rifles, an AK47 rifle magazine, nine backpacks, and a commercial radio.
Brigadier General Michael Samson, commander of the Philippine Army’s 301st Infantry Brigade, stated that the PNP Scene of the Crime Operations (SOCO) investigation revealed one of the four M16 Armalite rifles was part of the cache the rebels took during their June 2017 attack on the Maasin Municipal Police Station.
In that incident, the NPA made off with eleven M16 Armalite rifles—ten from Elisco and one Colt—as well as eleven M16 magazines and eleven short magazines, all loaded with cartridges.
The police station also lost two Glock 9mm pistols, a super .38 caliber pistol, a super Colt pistol, and a 9mm Beretta pistol, each with magazines full of cartridges.
Meanwhile, Samson assured the public of their commitment to preventing rebel atrocities. He noted that the Army troops in Panay are conducting focused military operations with very specific targets.
With developments underway, Samson anticipates that legal fronts will likely push for an investigation. “But we won’t get distracted. We’re prepared for that,” he affirmed.
