A concealed stockpile of firearms, explosives, and ammunition buried deep in the mountains of Baggao, Cagayan was uncovered on October 1, 2026, after a former communist rebel guided joint law enforcement and military teams to its location, the Philippine National Police (PNP) announced.
The former rebel, known only by his alias "Gary," was described by the government as a former member of the Communist Terrorist Group (CTG). He disclosed the precise location of the hidden cache at Sitio Tagang, Barangay Bunugan, setting off a coordinated multi-agency retrieval operation.
Multiple Units Mobilised for the Retrieval
According to the PNP, the 1st Provincial Mobile Force Company took the lead in conducting the search, validation, and inventory of recovered materials. The operation drew support from eight agencies and units, including the Baggao Police Station, the 204th Maneuver Company, Regional Mobile Force Battalion 2, the Philippine Army's 17th Infantry Battalion, the Police Intelligence Unit, the Cagayan Police Provincial Office, and the Regional Intelligence Unit 2–Provincial Explosive and Canine Unit (RIU2-PECU) Cagayan.
Inventory of Seized War Materials
The PNP Public Information Office listed the following items recovered from the cache:
- One M1 Garand rifle and one Garand magazine
- Three short M16 magazines
- 40 rounds of 5.56mm ammunition
- 12 rounds of caliber .30 ammunition
- Five rounds of caliber .45 ammunition
- Two rounds of 9mm ammunition
- Two M76B high-explosive rifle grenades with bullet trap
- One 12.4-volt Yuasa battery and four 1.5-volt Eveready dry cells
- One document classified as subversive
The two M76B grenades and related explosive components were turned over to PECU Cagayan for safekeeping, while the remaining firearms, ammunition, and other seized materials were placed under the custody of the 1st Provincial Mobile Force Company for documentation and proper disposition, the PNP said.
PNP Chief Points to Value of Rebel Cooperation
PNP Chief Police General Jose Melencio C. Nartatez Jr. attributed the successful recovery to actionable intelligence, noting that cooperation from former armed group members has repeatedly proven decisive in locating hidden weapons before they can be used.
"This recovery underscores the importance of reliable information in locating hidden weapons and preventing them from being used for unlawful activities. We will remain resolute in securing firearms and war materials that could threaten the safety of our communities," Nartatez said, as quoted by the PNP.
In a separate statement delivered in Filipino, Nartatez said that tips from surrendered armed group members have been a significant factor in identifying weapons caches nationwide. He also called on members of the public to continue sharing information with police to help safeguard their communities.
Operation Part of PNP's Focused Agenda
The PNP said the Baggao operation is aligned with its Focused Agenda, under the Enhanced Managing Police Operations component. The PNP Public Information Office explained that this initiative targets the location, securing, and accounting of loose firearms and war materials deemed a threat to public safety.
Authorities described the recovery as part of a broader national campaign to reduce the CTG's operational capacity by cutting off its access to weapons and related resources used in armed activities, according to the PNP.
By the Numbers
- October 1, 2026 — date of the recovery operation in Baggao, Cagayan
- 1 M1 Garand rifle recovered from the hidden cache
- 2 M76B high-explosive rifle grenades with bullet trap seized
- 40 rounds of 5.56mm ammunition retrieved
- 12 rounds of caliber .30 ammunition recovered
- 5 rounds of caliber .45 ammunition found
- 2 rounds of 9mm ammunition retrieved
- 8 agencies and units participated in the joint operation
- 1 subversive document also confiscated
Why This Matters
The PNP said former communist rebels who choose to cooperate with authorities can supply intelligence capable of dismantling concealed weapons networks before those arms reach active fighters. The seizure of functional explosives, firearms, and a subversive document from a remote mountain sitio in Cagayan reflects the continued presence of CTG material infrastructure in northern Luzon. PNP Chief Nartatez's public call for civilian cooperation signals that law enforcement regards community tip-offs as a central tool — not a secondary one — in its counter-insurgency and public safety operations.
Source: PNP Public Information Office via breakingnewsnegor.com