NPA bomb-making hardware found at storage area: army

From the Mindanao Times (Feb 25): NPA bomb-making hardware found at storage area: army

SOLDIERS recovered two high-powered firearms and explosives from a temporary holding facility in Sitio Muling, Barangay Gupitan in Kapalong, Davao del Norte on Saturday.

 

Capt. Rhyan Batchar, spokesperson of 10^th Infantry Division, told reporters in yesterday’s AFP-PNP press conference, that the troops were checking the report of the presence of IED factory in Sitio Muling when they chanced upon a group of rebels.

 

It triggered a 20-minute firefight, although there were no reported wounded on both sides.

 

The fleeing communist rebels left behind two Garand rifles.

 

Soldiers found one improvised grenade launcher; 11 cartridges of improvised 60mm grenade; seven cartridges of 40mm grenade; five improvised anti-personnel landmine; four cartridges of anti-personnel landmine; three cartridges of anti-tank landmine; 18 sticks of dynamite and 280-meter detonating cord.

 

Also, they recovered 11 boxes of 6.35 steel ball; 65 pieces of toggle switch; 200 pieces of Zener diode; soldering gun, 500 pieces of series lights, automatic voltage regulator; a mini-lathe machine; a drilling machine; bar cutter; grinding machine; sewing machine and a single phase motor.

 

The storage reportedly belonged to the Front Committee 34 of Southern Mindanao Regional Committee  of NPAs operating in Kapalong, New Corella, Talaingod in Davao del Norte and Laak in Compostela Valley.

 

In a statement, Maj.Gen.Rafael Valencia, commander of the 10^th ID, lauded the soldiers of 60th IB and cafgus of 72nd IB for their feat against the NPAs and the subsequent discovery of the IED factory.

 

“Our soldiers did not only save lives of our own men but they also spared civilian lives from the NPAs’ wanton use of IED without regard for the safety of the people in the community,” he said.

 

Brig. Gen. Ronnie Evangelista, deputy commander of Eastern Mindanao Command, clarified that what the soldiers stumbled into was not a bomb-making facility.

 

“It may be a temporary storage but not really a factory ,”he added.

 

http://mindanaotimes.net/npa-bomb-making-hardware-found-at-storage-area-army/