ZAMBOANGA CITY – Government forces discovered an explosive cache of the New People's Army (NPA) rebels in Davao Oriental province, a military official said Friday.
Lieutenant Colonel Lyndon Paniza, spokesman of the Army's 10th Infantry Division, said the explosive cache was found hidden in Sitio Calinawan, Barangay Taocangca, Rizal, Davao Oriental around 12 p.m. Thursday.
Paniza said the explosive cache was found by the troops from the Army's 67th Infantry Battalion led by First Lieutenant Elmer Sarima while patrolling in the area.
Recovered were: two pieces anti-armor mines; four pieces anti-personnel mines; six kilograms and 150 grams black powder; seven pieces unfinished anti-personnel mines; six pieces unfinished anti-armor mines; 500 meters detonating cord; 14 pieces blasting caps; 700 pieces liquid explosives; one set stanley wrench; one set electric drill; 20 pieces claymore molds; 10 cans adhesive sealant; five soldering irons; two soldering gun; 10 fuse; nine set resistors; 10 ballast; 50 alligator clips; 29 switches; 11 dead man's switches; five hammers; three pieces mallet; one metal saw; four files; two tri-squares; one mold for anti-personnel mines; 18-kilogram metal shrapnel; two sets claymore molds; one tinsmith; one set blow torch; one clamp; four rolls of wire; 300-gram sulfur; nine plastic pipes; four metal pipes; three- liter oil; six bottles of PBC solution; one PBC; one roll plastic hose; one weighing scale; and 22 bottles of acetone.
“This is believed to be a manufactory of improvised landmines. With its discovery, civilian lives have been spared of what was believed to be a massive series of land mining activity of the armed group,” Paniza said.
“The discovery hampers not only the explosion attempt of the rebel group but it also saves the lives of civilians who could have been victims of indiscriminate explosion. We are very lucky in discovering the cache before the armed group used the hidden paraphernalia’s in creating yet another destructive improvised explosive device. We awe this from the concerned citizens in the Barangay,” Paniza added.
Last February 13, five civilians became victims of improvised bomb explosion in Maco, Compostela Valley.
Last month, the NPAs have set off an improvised bomb in Barangay Sibulan, Sta. Cruz, Davao Del Sur. (Bong Garcia/Sunnex)