Wednesday, July 02, 2008 Arms cache found in Panabo village By Ben O. Tesiorna
THE military in Panabo City discovered recently an arms cache inside an abandoned house during a combat operation.
Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Ambal of the Philippine Army's 73rd Infantry Battalion said his platoon found the arms cache at the vicinity of Barangay Malativas around 3 p.m. of June 29.
He said the discovery was a result of the information they received from residents in the area.
Recovered from the stash were one carbine rifle with four ammo-loaded magazines, one improvised shotgun, one .38 caliber revolver, two hand grenades, one smoke grenade, and 16 rounds of ammo for .45 caliber pistol.
Ambal said he ordered his men to continue scouring the area because they have reports that more firearms are hidden in the said village.
Authorities still don't know who owns the firearms but suspect that these belong to the rebels.
Several months ago, Barangay Malativas was the site of a fierce gun battle between the Army and the New People's Army (NPA) rebels that resulted to the evacuation of several residents in the area.
