Army seizes NPA claymore mines

From the Visayan Daily Star (Jan 17): Army seizes NPA claymore mines

The Army's 303rd Infantry Brigade reported yesterday the recovery of six anti-personnel claymore mines with blasting caps of the New People's Army in Manapla, Negros Occidental.

Col. Jon Aying, 303rd Infantry Brigade commander, said they have foiled the NPA in Negros from using improvised anti-personnel claymore mines after their recovery in Brgy. Purisima, Manapla.

Aying said the six improvised explosive devices (IEDs) with blasting caps, and a fragmentation grenade, were recovered Monday by government troopers in Brgy Purisima, Manapla, after receiving information from concerned citizens.

He said they have received reports of IEDs being brought into Negros from Panay, and of rebels being trained in assembling of homemade explosives.

In previous months, the 62nd Infantry Battalion also recovered nine high-powered firearms, including AK-47, M-16 and M-14 assault rifles, that had been hidden by the NPA, following a series of encounters at the boundary of Sagay City and Toboso, military records showed.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines has condemned the NPA for its continued use of improvised explosive devices such as landmines, which is in violation of the Comprehensive Agreement to Respect Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law of which the CPP-NPA-NDF was a signatory.

The National Democratic Front repeatedly declared that the NPA does not use, and has never used mines which are not command-detonated and directed against military vehicles and personnel, stressing that command-detonated mines are not prohibited by any international treaty or convention, including the Geneva Conventions and their Protocols.

Anti-personnel mines   are designed for use against humans and vehicles.

Records of the 3rd Infantry Division showed the NPA has continuously been using landmines from 2009 to 2013. Army troopers have recovered 11 improvised explosive devices (IEDs).

In March 2012, the NPAs detonated IEDs against government forces in a populated area in the boundaries of barangays Adgao and Ingay in Tubungan, Iloilo. Aside from inflicting casualties on government troops, two civilians were injured in that attack, military records also showed.

http://www.visayandailystar.com/2014/January/17/topstory2.htm