Marines find IED component in Rizal town

From Palawan News (May 18, 2021): Marines find IED component in Rizal town (By Aira Genesa Magdayao)

Operatives of Marine Battalion Landing Team-4 (MBLT-4) recovered around 15 kilos of ammonium nitrate, an improvised explosive device (IED) component in Barangay Bunog in Rizal town last weekend.

The IED component was found buried and stored inside 20-gallon containers.

MBLT-4 operations officer Maj. Carl Roy Catalan told Palawan News on Tuesday, May 18, that the recovery was through the cooperation of a concerned citizen who is also formerly connected to the terrorist group New People’s Army (NPA).

“Continuous ang pag-conduct ng mga community engagement sa mga remote areas specifically ‘yong mga dating lugar kung saan naglalagi ang mga NPA. Sa tulong ng mga concern citizen na may connection din sa grupo ay nahukay ang more or less 15 kilos ng Ammonium Nitrate sa liblib na lugar ng Sitio Mantayob,” Catalan said.

Catalan also added that they are continuously conducting community engagement and combat patrol to ensure the safety of the Palaweno in southern Palawan.

In May 2020, a civilian was killed when the NPA attacked the CAFGU Active Auxiliary (CAA) deployed to provide security assistance to provincial government’s Mantayob Water System Project. The NPA claimed responsibility in the attack pointing out that it was targeted at the 18th Special Forces Company of the Philippine Army.

“Confirmed ang presence nila sa lugar na ‘yon, isa ‘yan sa lugar na dinadaanan nila. Noong panahon na ‘yon ay malamang diyan nila tinago ‘yong component ng IED,” Catalan said.

“Tuloy-tuloy din ang combat patrol natin to ensure the security and peaceful environment dito sa southern Palawan,” he added.

https://palawan-news.com/marines-find-ied-component-in-rizal-town/