GOVERNMENT forces have captured a major camp of the communist New People’s Army (NPA) without firing a single shot, a military spokesman disclosed on Friday.

Maj. Enrico Gil Ileto, chief of the Third Infantry Division Public Affairs Office, said that the rebels were forced to abandon their camp after days of continuous follow-up   operations made by elements of the 82nd Infantry Battalion (IB) following an earlier encounter that left one soldier dead.

According to Ileto the encampment in Brgy. Bucari, Leon, Iloilo province, had been used as headquarters by top regional NPA personalities of Panay Island.

The camp was situated behind mountainous terrain, thick vegetation and trees which can only be reached through hours of walk from the nearest barangay roads of Bucari, Danao and Cagay of Leon municipality.

The camp was captured on November 1.

It has several foxholes, kitchens, and three makeshift classrooms and a water supply. Two other but smaller camps were also overrun by soldiers since the start of the military operations in the later part of October.

 Lt. Col. Aldwine Almase, commander of 82IB, said that the information gathered from the populace made the job easier for the soldiers.

“Despite difficulties, we continue with our tasks because this is our calling, to protect the people, who have continued to provide us with information for our peace and security operations,” Almase said.