Rebel bomb depot captured

Government troops captured Wednesday a bomb-making factory of the communist New People’s Army in Tagbina, Surigao del Sur.

Maj. Gen. Jose Barbieto, chief of the Army’s 4th Infantry Division, said that soldiers captured the rebel weapons depot located inside a cave after a firefight in Sitio Greenfields, Barangay Sta. Juana in Tagbina.

The troopers recovered 42 plastic containers of superdyne dynamite explosives that are used to manufacture Claymore land mines.

They also found 18 pieces of Claymore land mines, an M14 rifle, an M16 rifle, one rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) launcher, two mortar base plates, a B40 anti-tank weapon base plate, a set of rifle ammunition reloading machines, 13 mm electric drill press machine, 76 pieces of M60 machinegun bullets, detonating wires and two pieces of expanders.

Barbieto said that the main NPA camp is located inside a cave, which is the alleged regional base of Jorge Madlos, the top NPA leader in Mindanao.

Sitio Greenfields is believed to be the rebel’s regional base where training and communist party anniversary rites are held.

Army troops led by Lt. Col. Joel Madarang also recovered from the cave bomb-making equipment and ammunition-reloading machines.

"The successful combat operation is still ongoing in Tagbina," Barbieto said.

He said the troopers also received information that about 100 plastic containers of superdyne dynamite explosives are still buried in the area. The explosives are enough to manufacture at least 250 pieces of eight-kilogram Claymore land mines.

"Due to thick foliage, about 100 plastic containers of superdyne dynamite explosives buried within the vicinity of the cave will have to be dug out," Barbieto said.

Additional troops were dispatched to Greenfields last Jan. 18, after an Army patrol encountered NPA rebels that led to seizure of a B40 anti-tank weapon and a motorcycle owned by Madlos.

The Air Force deployed two UH-1H choppers and two MG 520 attack helicopters to assist ground troops conducting pursuit operations against the rebels.

"The capture of the NPA (bomb) factory will definitely degrade the rebel’s capability in Mindanao," said Army spokesman Maj. Ernesto Torres Jr.

Torres added the discovery of the explosive depot proved that the NPA continues to use land mines that are banned by the international community. - with Edith Regalado