TACLOBAN CITY, Jan. 9 -- The Philippine Army has lauded former supporters of the New People's Army (NPA) in Leyte province who tipped off about the location of the rebels' arms cache in the municipality of Mahaplag last week.

Lt. Col. Ernesto Dela Rosa, commander of the Army's 14th Infantry Battalion said they were able to discover high-powered firearms in Barangay Maligaya, Mahaplag, on Thursday.

The arms cache consists of one AK47 assault rifle, an M16 Armalite rifle, an M1 Garand rifle, a 40mm M79 grenade launcher and assorted magazines. These reportedly belong to the NPA Platoon 1, sub-regional command, Eastern Visayas Regional Party Committee.

"The NPA buried the firearms because of their inability to recruit and recover former ma...