Northern Samar 803rd Brigade sustains intensified combat operations

By AILENE N. DIAZ, (PIA Norhern Samar)
August 15, 2006

CATARMAN, Northern Samar  –  Responding to the call of the commander in chief President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to contain the insurgency problem in the country, the 803rd Brigade based in Camp Sumoroy, Catarman and led by its brigade commander Col. Roland Rodriguez, vows to sustain intensified combat operations in the brigade’s area of coverage.

Rodriguez said that their combat operations yielded in the destruction of 37 NPA camps as a result of 14 engagements since January this year.

According to Rodriguez, the four (4) guerilla fronts in this part of the region were reduced into two (2) which means that their (brigade’s) operations have been effective, thus reducing the enemy’s strength and also decreasing the enemy’s capabilities.

Rodriquez added that no single major incident ever happened in this area since January because the enemy could not launch an attack against the military, as the NPAs are having a hard time. They (the NPAs) have been running and evading military operations. "We will continue our offensive operations as this is our best defense", Rodriquez quipped.

Rodriguez also said that "we have learned, in a letter from one commander to another which we seized, that they (NPAs) are having a problem in recruitment especially in the bright sector of the society which is the students. The quality of their recruits and leadership is now becoming lower and lower." Some members according to Rodriguez are lying low. They are on "rest and recreation" and never returns to the combat field. The people in turn are no longer supporting them.

Aside from combat operations, the 803rd brigade is also into community endeavors. "We continue our community projects, we cooperate with the local government units, national government agencies and provide support to the needs of the people in the community. We also continue our ALPS program, the Army Literacy Patrol System and we conduct symposium in different schools," Rodriguez further said.