For the past weeks, dad's all over media. Newspapers and television to be specific. Last Friday, we were all waiting for the headline about this. Gladly, at aroudn 9:45pm of Friday, we saw our dad on TV in ANC channel 27. He was interviewed. THe day before that, he told us that he will be shown on tv, we saw him in TV PATROL channel 8 though it was only in the "1 minute patrol." haha! So we were really glad to see him on tv the next day. Our family friends even texted my mom that they saw our dad on TV the morning of Friday in Magandang Umaga Bayan. Too bad we weren't able to watch it. TSK! anyway, here are some of the articles. ;) please do read it because im so proud of my dad! ;) haha! please do leave a comment after.

The Philippine STAR

Nation


Valor did it
By Edith Regalado
Publication Date: [Tuesday, January 30, 2007]

DAVAO CITY — "Valor did it".

"It was not just the gallantry of my men but also their valor in relentlessly pursuing the communist guerrillas in this part of the country that led to the capture of one of a major bomb-making factory and possibly the biggest arsenal of the rebels in Surigao del Sur," Army’s 36th Infantry Battalion commander Lt. Col. Joel Madarang told The STAR.

Madarang commends the valor of the soldiers under his command who did not mind the inclement weather and the danger they were facing with hundreds of landmines they had to hop away from as they inched their way closer to the two caves that was an important base of the communist rebels.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines scored a major victory over the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army when it captured Wednesday two caves in the remote town of Tagbina, Surigao del Sur believed to be used by the communist insurgents as bomb-making factory and at the same time a huge arsenal of their various ammunitions.

The major haul comprised of 42 gallons of superdyne dynamite sticks that could produce 250 pieces of an eight-kilogram Claymore landmine, while another 100 gallons of superdyne dynamite sticks also still have to be unearthed since these were buried in one of the two caves.

Also found inside the caves were M14 and M16 rifles, rocket-propelled grenade launcher, two mortar base plates, a B-40 anti-tank weapon base plate, a set or rifle ammunition reloading machine, M60 machine gun bullets, detonating wires and expanders as well as 13mm electric press drill machine.

Madarang recalled how his men have decided to cut short their Christmas break and instead decided to stake it out in the said Barangay Greenfields where the two caves were located, to continue with their effort since October last year to go after National Democratic Front (NDF) Mindanao spokesman Jorge Madlos, also known as Ka Oris, and his men.

 

The Philippine STAR Headlines Rebel bomb depot captured Publication Date: [Friday, January 26, 2007]

Government troops captured Wednesday a bomb-making factory of the communist New People’s Army in Tagbina, Surigao del Sur. Maj. Gen. Jose Barbieto, chief of the Army’s 4th Infantry Division, said that soldiers captured the rebel weapons depot located inside a cave after a firefight in Sitio Greenfields, Barangay Sta. Juana in Tagbina. The troopers recovered 42 plastic containers of superdyne dynamite explosives that are used to manufacture Claymore land mines. They also found 18 pieces of Claymore land mines, an M14 rifle, an M16 rifle, one rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) launcher, two mortar base plates, a B40 anti-tank weapon base plate, a set of rifle ammunition reloading machines, 13 mm electric drill press machine, 76 pieces of M60 machinegun bullets, detonating wires and two pieces of expanders. Barbieto said that the main NPA camp is located inside a cave, which is the alleged regional base of Jorge Madlos, the top NPA leader in Mindanao. Sitio Greenfields is believed to be the rebel’s regional base where training and communist party anniversary rites are held. Army troops led by Lt. Col. Joel Madarang also recovered from the cave bomb-making equipment and ammunition-reloading machines. "The successful combat operation is still ongoing in Tagbina," Barbieto said. He said the troopers also received information that about 100 plastic containers of superdyne dynamite explosives are still buried in the area. The explosives are enough to manufacture at least 250 pieces of eight-kilogram Claymore land mines. "Due to thick foliage, about 100 plastic containers of superdyne dynamite explosives buried within the vicinity of the cave will have to be dug out," Barbieto said. Additional troops were dispatched to Greenfields last Jan. 18, after an Army patrol encountered NPA rebels that led to seizure of a B40 anti-tank weapon and a motorcycle owned by Madlos. The Air Force deployed two UH-1H choppers and two MG 520 attack helicopters to assist ground troops conducting pursuit operations against the rebels. "The capture of the NPA (bomb) factory will definitely degrade the rebel’s capability in Mindanao," said Army spokesman Maj. Ernesto Torres Jr. Torres added the discovery of the explosive depot proved that the NPA continues to use land mines that are banned by the international community. - with Edith Regalado   so proud!