TF-Masbate raid seizes 113 sacks of explosive chemicals in Masbate town; owner escapes

From the Philippine News Agency (Mar 31): TF-Masbate raid seizes 113 sacks of explosive chemicals in Masbate town; owner escapes

Task Force Masbate (TFM) operatives on Wednesday afternoon confiscated 104 sacks of ammonium nitrate and other chemicals used in making improvised explosive devices.

The task force is composed of joint elements of the Philippine National Police Bicol Regional Special Operation Task Group, PNP Masbate Provincial Office and the 9th Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army.

Chief Insp. Arthur Gomez, RSOTG-Masbate spokesperson, said the raid was conducted at about 2:45 p.m. Wednesday in the warehouse owned by Alfredo R. Bangiban, alias “Potong”, on the strength of a search warrant issued by Judge Alben Rabe of the Tabaco Regional Trial Court Branch 15.

The project, part of the PNP One-Time Big Time Operation, was done in Barangay Calanay, Aroroy, a gold-rich town in Masbate.

Bangiban and four companions were able to escape after they apparently learned about the coming authorities.

Despite this, Gomez expressed satisfaction that the task force was able to seize sacks of ammonium nitrate used in making IEDs and this is important for the raiding team as these would no longer pose a threat to security in Masbate.

He said it was very difficult for the raiding team to pursue the operation as it still used two boats and it was difficult to dock at the shore of Barangay Calanay due to the absence of a pier.

It took the team almost two hours to walk from the shore to the target area, deep into the mountainous portion of the village where cellular phone and other communication equipment had poor signals.

This, Gomez said, could be the reason why the suspects were able to escape before the raiding team could come.

The task force members are now tracking down Bangiban, who, according to a police report, is engaged in selling explosive substances and devices to fishermen and small-scale miners operating in the area, he said.

Aside from the sacks of ammonium nitrate, the raid also yielded five pairs of blasting caps with time fuse, 90-inch detonating cord and a .45-caliber handgun.

Gomez said in a phone interview that Bangiban had been in the RSOTG watch list following reports that he had been operating the business that illegally sells ammonium nitrate and explosive devices to people engaged in illegal fishing and small-scale mining.

He said police operatives are still digging for information and evidence to pin down other business partners of the suspect believed to be also engaged in selling explosive materials to private armed groups (PAGs), including the New People’s Army (NPA) rebels.

The police official said that since the start of the series bombings of the NPA in six towns of Masbate on March 15, the task force has already focused its attention on the locating those keeping and selling explosive materials.

Police Senior Supt. Alexander D. Sampaga said in a press statement that while ammonium nitrate is being used as fertilizer for agriculture products and for mining operations, this chemical is also being used by armed groups in the manufacture of landmines and homemade bombs.

The Task Force Masbate has been operating since Feb. 9 in the island-province to quell election-related violence that would possibly mar the May 9 national and local elections.

Masbate has been tagged by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) and the PNP as among the election hot spots in the country due to intense political rivalries and the presence of PAGs, including communist guerrillas operating in the province.

The police have scheduled the filing of cases for violation of Republic Act 9851 and illegal possession of firearms against Bangiban and four John Does.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=871982