Government troops continue to post gains in its campaign to end lawlessness in the southern Philippines with the discovery of more high-powered firearms believed to be part of the arms cache of the powerful Ampatuan political clan in Shariff Aguak, Maguindanao.

The military also recovered an improvised explosive device (IED) in Davao Oriental while an attempt to bomb a transmission tower in North Cotabato was successfully foiled.

Lt. Col. Romeo Brawner Jr., Armed Forces of the Philippines spokesman, said joint military and police elements conducting clearing operations discovered the high-powered firearms at the Shariff Aguak gymnasium in Maguindanao around 7 p.m. Tuesday.

Brawner said among those recovered were two M60 machineguns, one MINIMI machinegun, 10 M-16 rifles and nine M-14 rifles.

Authorities said the firearms are believed to be still part of the arms cache owned by the Ampatuans who have been tagged as behind the Maguindanao massacre last November 23 when 57 civilians, most of them journalists, were gunned down.

In Davao Oriental, the military recovered an IED following a 30-minute gunbattle with New People Army (NPA) bandits in the village of Rizal in Manay town, at 8:45 a.m. Monday.

Responding troops from the 67th Infantry Battalion clashed with the terrorists after local residents reportedly saw armed individuals in the area and immediately informed the authorities.
No casualties were reported on both sides.

Troops recovered three exploded IED, which the NPA set off during the firefight, as well as a 36-meter detonation wire, eight pieces of dry cells, ammunition link for M60 machinegun, personal belongings and documents.

Authorities suspect that the IED are to be planted by NPA terrorists on roadsides as they have done in other parts of the Davao region.

Maj. Gen. Carlos Holganza, commander of 10th Infantry Division, lauded soldiers and local residents in the recovery of the explosive devices.

“Our soldiers did a great job in making the people of Davao Oriental safe and secure with the recovery of IED in Manay. The real heroes here are our citizens who took the risk of informing our troops. NPA terrorists put the lives of everyone in danger in using IED. This demonstrates their inhuman character and proves their godlessness,” Holganza said.

Barely a week ago, soldiers and policemen also recovered IEDs planted by NPA terrorists in Banaybanay town also in Davao Oriental after residents informed authorities of suspicious individuals planting something with wires along the road.

In North Cotabato, Army troops on Tuesday evening foiled an attempt to bomb a tower of the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines at the vicinity of Sitio Kakal, Barangay Ugalingan, Carmen.

Based on a report reaching the AFP headquarters in Camp Aguinaldo, the IED was recovered by the Army’s explosives ordnance disposal team.

A concerned citizen reportedly informed authorities of the IED, which was made from a rocket propelled grenade ammunition.