SIX security guards assigned at Maricalum Mining Corp. in Sipalay City, Negros Occidental were allegedly disarmed by an armed group believed to be New People's Army (NPA) Thursday afternoon.

Senior Superintendent Rodolfo Castil Jr., director of Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office (Nocppo), said at least 20 unidentified men, who were wearing bonnets, arrived at the area at 4:30 p.m.

After receiving reports, police then tapped the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine Army for deployment in the area, Castil said.

Armed with M16 and M14 rifles with M203, eight men who were wearing army uniforms took the six shotguns and a .9mm caliber pistol of the security guards, police records showed.

The armed men then escaped on a white van, heading towards the airport. They were escorted by motorcycles.

Castil said they are still validating the incident.

He also said they are not sure if it was perpetrated by the rebels because they don’t wear bonnets when to they do atrocities.