Soldiers from the Philippine Army's 2nd Infantry Division uncovered a stash of weapons believed to belong to the New People's Army (NPA) in the remote mountains of General Nakar, Quezon Province last Friday, May 8, 2026 — a breakthrough made possible not by battlefield intelligence alone, but by ordinary residents who chose to speak up and point authorities to where the firearms were concealed.
The recovery operation was carried out by elements of the 80th Infantry (Steadfast) Battalion, who moved into Sitio Madaraki in Barangay Umiray after community members disclosed that war materiel belonging to the armed group had been stashed within their village. Military officials said focused operations were immediately launched upon receiving the tip, enabling soldiers to locate and secure the cache before it could be moved or put to use by armed elements.
What Soldiers Found at Sitio Madaraki
The 202nd Infantry (Unifier) Brigade confirmed that the following weapons were recovered at the site:
- One caliber .30 rifle
- One caliber .45 pistol
- One improvised shotgun
Sitio Madaraki sits within Barangay Umiray, nestled in the forested and mountainous interior of General Nakar — a landlocked municipality in Quezon Province that borders Rizal, Bulacan, and Nueva Ecija. Much of the area falls within or near the corridor of the Northern Sierra Madre Natural Park, terrain that has historically served NPA units as a transit route and staging ground across both Southern Tagalog and Central Luzon.
The rugged geography of General Nakar has long been associated with communist armed activity, making the municipality a recurring focal point for military operations in the region. Officials said isolated sitios like Madaraki are frequently used by armed groups to cache weapons, shelter personnel, and regroup following military pressure.
Brigade Commander: Weapons Posed a Direct Threat to Civilians
Brigadier General Ernest John C. Jadloc, Commander of the 202nd Infantry "Unifier" Brigade, stated that the operation's success was a direct reflection of the trust that communities have built with the Philippine Army — and of residents' willingness to act on that trust when it matters most.
"These recovered weapons could have been used for violence, intimidation, or other unlawful activities. Their recovery is an important step in preventing the armed groups to threaten communities," Brig. Gen. Jadloc said.
Jadloc made clear that the military does not operate in isolation — that sustained cooperation between security forces and the civilian population is indispensable to degrading the NPA's capacity to operate in remote and geographically isolated barangays. He added that armed groups frequently exploit such areas to store equipment, recruit new members, and evade military pressure, making community vigilance a critical layer of defense.
The brigade commander credited local residents for their courage in coming forward and stressed that their participation in peace and security efforts is both valued and essential to the Army's operations in the region.
2ID Chief Zagala: Southern Tagalog Communities Are Choosing Peace
Major General Ramon P. Zagala, Commanding General of the 2nd Infantry (Jungle Fighter) Division, interpreted the General Nakar recovery as part of a larger pattern — one that he said reflects a meaningful shift in how rural communities in Southern Tagalog are responding to the presence of armed groups.
"This accomplishment shows that our communities are increasingly rejecting the presence of armed groups and are choosing to work with authorities in protecting peace and security," Major General Zagala said.
Zagala called on the public to remain vigilant and to continue reporting suspicious activities, hidden weapons, or the movement of armed individuals to the nearest military detachment, police station, or through official AFP hotlines. He assured that all information shared with authorities would be treated with strict confidentiality.
The general reiterated that community cooperation is not a supplementary element of internal security operations — it is a cornerstone. He said the 2nd Infantry Division considers the protection of residents who provide tips a top priority, recognizing that those individuals assume personal risk when they come forward.
About the 2nd Infantry Division's Area of Responsibility
The 2nd Infantry (Jungle Fighter) Division is headquartered at Camp Capinpin in Tanay, Rizal, and holds operational responsibility over the entire Southern Tagalog region. Its area of responsibility encompasses the provinces of Batangas, Cavite, Laguna, Quezon, and Rizal on the mainland, as well as the island provinces of Marinduque, Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro, Palawan, and Romblon.
The NPA functions as the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and has been formally designated a terrorist organization by the Philippine government. The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) has maintained sustained operations aimed at dismantling NPA units, recovering illegally held weapons, and facilitating the voluntary surrender and reintegration of former rebels through the government's Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program, commonly known as E-CLIP.
Army Pledges to Continue Operations and Community Engagement
In an official statement released through the Division Public Affairs Office and attributed to Col. Michael T. Aquino, Acting Chief of the Division Public Affairs Office, the 2nd Infantry Division reaffirmed its commitment to persistent security operations and community engagement across its entire area of responsibility.
The division said it will continue to conduct focused military operations in areas where NPA activity persists, working alongside local government units, barangay officials, and civilian communities to deny armed groups the opportunity to re-establish footholds in vulnerable and far-flung villages.
Residents with knowledge of hidden arms caches, suspected NPA safe houses, or the movement of armed individuals were again urged to report such information through any available channel — military detachments, police stations, or AFP hotlines — with full assurance that their identities and safety would be protected.
The May 8 arms recovery in General Nakar is the latest in a continuing series of similar operations conducted by units under the 2nd Infantry Division in recent months, as part of the AFP's broader internal security campaign across Southern Tagalog.
Photo credit: Philippine Army / 2nd Infantry Division Public Affairs Office