THE Army’s 23rd Infantry Battalion on Tuesday morning discovered a mine depot belonging to the New People’s Army rebels buried in the hinterland of Barangay Maasin, Esperanza, Agusan del Sur, a military official said Thursday.

“A tip-off from villagers led soldiers to a depot of bomb-making materials and ammunition at about 5 am on June 23, 2020,” said 23IB civil-military chief 1st Lieutenant Roel Maglalang.

Maglalang said the troops seized a total of 11 containers of ammonium nitrate; 2 blasting caps, 205 rounds ctg, 7.62mm ball, 5 magazines of an M14 rifle, a roll firing wire, NPA-issued garments, and subversive documents. 

He said that the containers of ammonium nitrate will be utilized by the Sub-Regional Sentro de Grabedad (SRSDG) SAGAY, Sub-Regional Committee (SRC) 3, North Central Mindanao Regional Committee (NCMRC) to generate sixty (60), anti-personnel Mines.

 “Each container contains 23 packs of Ammonium Nitrate which can produce five (5) APMs which is a big threat to the residents,” said Maglalang.

Maglalang said that it was commonly planted by the NPA rebels in the road that the farmers usually pass very near the depot where explosive materials are deposited.

“It is the main reason why they reported it to the army,” said Maglalang adding that the citizens in the area saw the danger of these bomb-making materials.

23IB commander Lt. Col. Julius Cesar C. Paulo said the seizure of the bomb-making materials in the hinter area of Agusan del Sur is a clear manifestation that the residents are already tired of the hostilities made by the NPA rebels. 

Paulo said that IEDs are strictly prohibited because it does not only inflict casualties in the government forces but also the innocent civilians like the farmers.

“The use of IEDs is a violation of the agreements listed in the Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law (CARHRIHL), which was agreed and signed by both parties,” said Paulo. 

He said that through the cooperation of the civilian stakeholders, we can easily thwart the hostile plans of the NPA rebels and their recruitment strategies in the vulnerable communities.

 Paulo in a statement condemned the NPA rebels for putting the lives of civilians in the area in danger.

“The continues production of IEDs only proves that these communists rebels do not know how to value life as they keep using it regardless of who their victim will be,” said Paulo. (Ben Balce)