By Jennifer P. Rendon
A supporter of the New People’s Army (NPA) surrendered improvised explosive device (IED) materials afternoon of Feb 25, 2023 in Lemery, Iloilo.
Mario Deocampo, 38, a member of the NPA Militia ng Bayan from Sitio Pandong, Barangay Agpipili, Lemery, Iloilo, turned over the IED materials to Barangay Kagawad Glenn Gonzales.
The Militia ng Bayan is considered a force multiplier and sometimes acts as part-time NPA armed members.
They allegedly support regular NPA members by providing them with additional manpower, information, food, and other logistics.
Among the materials that were turned in were two units of ordinary blasting caps, around 1.4 meters of safety fuse, an estimated 2.5 kilograms of ammonium nitrate, pliers, packaging tape, and electrical tape.
It was Gonzales who called the local police authorities to secure the materials.
The IED materials are now in the custody of the Explosives Ordnance Division – K-9 unit for proper disposition.
Captain Jose Winston Biadog, Lemery police chief, said Deocampo alleged that the materials were left by an NPA friend in 2017.
He later forgot about it until recently.
Deocampo subsequently decided to turn them in to police authorities.
With the amount of ammonium nitrate, a main component for explosives, it could create huge destruction if used.
