Arms cache seized in Cotabato

From the Philippine News Agency (Sep 1): Arms cache seized in Cotabato

The Army on Friday recovered a huge arms cache from suspected communists, following a "timely and accurate intelligence information" provided by civilian informants.

Col. Roberto Ancan, chief of the Army's 1002nd Infantry Brigade, said 18 rifles kept in circular drums were recovered while two other Armalite rifles were seized from two suspected rebels.

Lt. Col. Harold Argamosa, commander of the Army's 39th Infantry Battalion, said in a radio interview that the two men who claimed they were farmers were caught at past 12 midnight while in the act of burying 18 M-16 Armalite rifles and two hand grenades in Barangay Katipunan, Kidapawan City.

“They did not expect us and about 50 meters from whre they were accosted was the guns’ burial site,” Argamosa said.

“Some have already been buried,” he added.

Ancan said the soldiers arrived in the village at 12:30 a.m. and noticed two young men dragging suspicious sacks into a huge hole at Purok 3 in Katipunan.

“Our troops first observed what the two were doing,” Ancan said.

“When accosted, the visibly surprised suspects tried to escape, but later arrested by soldiers,” he added.

Argamosa identified the two suspected New Peoples’ Army guerillas as Wowie Tagapia Boton, 19, a laborer, and George Landungan Cuyo, 20, a farmer, both residents of the area.

Argamosa said the village is listed by the military as “hotspot” due to heavy presence of communist guerillas belonging to Guerilla Front 53.

An intelligence report about the presence of two men with huge number of firearms prompted the 39th IB, North Cotabato Public Safety Battalion and Kidapawan City police to immediately proceed to the village, Argamosa said.

“The 18 Armalite rifles were placed in two separate drums,” he told DXND Radio.

Argamosa said the rebels could have plotted a major attack against government forces or civilian communities in the city prior to the discovery of firearms.

“We commend the informant who provided us the timely and accurate information,” Argamosa later told reporters without naming the informant.

Argamosa did not mention if reward awaits the informant.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1008233