2 rebel camps found in Isabela

MANILA, Philippines - Two major communist rebel camps were found in the Sierra Madre mountain range in Isabela, the 5th Army Division at Camp Upi said yesterday.

One camp is in Barangay Villa Robles in Palanan while the other is in Barangay Disulap in San Mariano town. The camps included 14 secluded caves and 30 newly constructed huts with cell phone satellite equipment.

The 86th Army Battalion also found 25 cavans of rice and communication gadgets used by the rebels, who were not in the area when the soldiers seized the camps.

Police officers and soldiers encountered rebels in the nearby town of Jones before All Saints’ Day. No casualties were reported.

In Iloilo, soldiers overran an abandoned New People's Army camp in Leonen town following an encounter with NPA rebels that left one soldier dead recently.