GOVERNMENT forces have taken over another camp of the communist New People’s Army (NPA) in the hinterlands of Northern Samar province, bringing to nine the total number of rebel camps recovered by soldiers for this month alone.

Maj. Gen. Gerardo Layug, commander of the Eighth Infantry Division (ID), said on Thursday that the rebels were forced to abandon the place due to mounting military pressure and diminishing support from their mass base.

“The discovery of NPA camps is a clear manifestation that the NPA in Samar provinces is losing grounds literally and losing their influence over the people, which eventually will lead to their downfall and collapse” Layug added.

Layug said that the information from the local populace in the provinces in Samar and Northern Samar were instrumental in their successful anti-insurgency operations.

The abandoned camp was located in Brgy. Buenaswerte, Victoria, Norther Samar. It has 40 makeshift bunkers, two kitchens, two comfort rooms and two outposts.

Early this month, members of Charlie Company, 63rd Infantry Battalion (IB) also discovered an abandoned NPA camp with 30 makeshift bunkers, two advanced posts, a kitchen, a multipurpose room and a comfort room.

On November 5, 2012, 8ID troops discovered two NPA camps situated in Brgy. del Rosario, Matuguinao, Samar and Brgy. Somoroy, Lope de Vega, Northern Samar.

Elements of the 34IB troops and the 87IB also discovered abandoned NPA camps at the hinterlands of Brgy. Catoto-ogan, Las Navas, Northern Samar and in Brgy. Canlobo, Samar that accommodate almost 100 NPA members.

The 81st Division Reconnaissance Company, while conducting security operations on November 23, also took over an NPA camp at the vicinity Brgy. Cuenco, Las Navas, Northern Samar.

On November 23, troops of Bravo Company also discovered an NPA camp in Brgy. Victory, Las Navas, Northern Samar.

Similarly, on November 24, 2012, troops from the 34IB seized an NPA camp at Brgy. Henogawa, Gamay, Northern, Samar.