Army siezes explosive devices from Leyte’s rebel camp

From the Philippine News Agency (Jul 22): Army siezes explosive devices from Leyte’s rebel camp

The Philippine Army’s 19th Infantry Battalion (IB) based in this town has recovered three improvised explosive devices (IEDs) with blasting caps in a thickly forested mountains in Carigara, Leyte, following a clash with about 30 members of the New People’s Army (NPA).

Battalion commander Lt. Col. Nedy Espulgar Wednesday said that around 9:50 a.m. on Saturday, troops of the Alpha Company under Lt. Jay Lore Manaligod discovered the IEDs near the vicinity of the clash sites where rebels established an encampment.

Other items recovered inside the camp are the blasting caps, electrical wires, solar panel, voltage regulator, gasoline with oil for their generator, food supplies, bag packs with personal belongings, medicine, political maps and subversive documents with “high intelligence value.”

The recovered unexploded artillery are fitted with detonating devices such as electrical wires.

Col. Dinoh A. Dolina, the army’s 802nd brigade commander said that IEDs are the weapon of choice by the rebels because it can easily be hide.

“It's a great device to use against a traditional force. "The NPAs can't fight that with an established group, which means they have got to find something to attack,” Dolina added.

The NPA have been able to get hold of fertilizer without difficulty, made it into explosives and have it planted in some areas in Leyte and Samar to a terrain that is more favorable to them, according to the army official.

Series of encounters continue in areas in Carigara, Leyte. In contrast, there had been a noticeable decline in the number of encounters and attacks carried out by rebels in some other towns of Leyte.

Lt. Col. Espulgar said the Army has re-established control over mountain areas of Carigara to where most often than not the rebels set up an encampment.

The town has not yet been declared as manageable conflict affected area in Leyte and according to Espulgar, the area is yet to be completely cleared of rebels first.

"Operations are going on every day to clear the remaining areas,” he added.

Meanwhile, military troops has called on for better tactics and enhance more their basic trainings that should help them identify different types of terrain, whether an IED has been planted.

Manaligod said that there are many types of IEDs. They all need more trainings to enhance their skills and knowledge.

“During those times when we saw the anti personnel explosives, my feeling was only to eliminate it and save myself and my men,” Manaligod said.

Among the areas where the soldiers need improvement is how best to deal with bombs once they’re located, according to Dolina.

“But better still, the troops will be told they need to build relationship with villagers, who may know where IEDs are hidden,” the official told PNA.

With the two battalions in Leyte under the 802nd Brigade, commanders have come to rely upon this type of intelligence.

Dolina reminded soldiers that if villagers aren’t talking to them, just observe their routes using and which path they are avoiding.

“Constant need for vigilance makes the work of patrolling the villages of Leyte and Southern Leyte difficult, but it seems to be paying off,” he added.

 http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=785104