By Glazyl Y. Masculino
BACOLOD City – The Army’s 94th Infantry Battalion (IB) recovered war materiel, including a cache of ammunition and explosives in Barangay Mahalang, Himamaylan City, Negros Occidental last Thursday.
Brigadier General Inocencio Pasaporte, commander of 303rd Infantry Brigade (IBde), said eight anti-personnel mines, two anti-tank mines, and 1,932 rounds of .30-caliber machine gun ammunitions were recovered buried near a creek, following information from the military contacts in the area and former members of the New People’s Army’s Central Negros 2.
Pasaporte said these war materials were allegedly left behind by rebels after they vacated their hideout in the area.
Pasaporte said that anti-personnel mines were similar to explosives that were used by the NPA in the ambush against policemen in Binalbagan town early this year, which left two cops wounded.
“Delikado ini pag may makatrigger kag maglupok,” he added.
Pasaporte said the recoveries will be placed in the custody of the 94th IB and will be subjected to forensic examination before these are extricated or disposed of.
He said that through the examination, they will be able to determine the source of the ammunition, and check if similar war materiel were used in previous encounters with the NPA rebels.
“Gin bilin ni nila sa lugar siguro kay bug-at man ni dal-on mag palagyo sila,” he added.
According to the Army, the anti-personnel mines are designed against human targets to either kill or injure them, and are capable of damaging light and heavy vehicles, while the anti-tank mines are designed to destroy or damage heavy vehicles including tanks and armored vehicles.
Lieutenant Colonel Van Donald Almonte, 94th IB commander, expressed his gratitude for the dedication and cooperation of concerned civilians to end the insurgency in Himamaylan City.
“Ang buhay natin ay isa lang, kaya dapat pangalagaan at gamitin sa tamang paraan,” he said.
