Compostela top cop axed over seized explosives

DAVAO CITY, Philippines – The provincial police director of Compostela Valley was removed from his post on Monday after a large volume of explosives was discovered deposited in a house just beside the gates of the provincial police headquarters in Barangay Poblacion, Nabunturan town. 

Southern Mindanao police director Jaime Morente said Senior Superintendent Timoteo Pacleb was sacked along with two other Compostela Valley police officials, namely intelligence chief Senior Inspector Noe Sobretodo and operations chief Superintendent Roderico Roy Jr. 

Their relief was the result of a joint operation over the weekend of the National Bureau of Investigation and the regional police that led to the seizure of 24 big boxes of blasting caps, four bundles of igniters, three boxes of safety fuse, three different lengths of safely fuse, 50 sacks of ammonium nitrate, two sacks of ammonium nitrate fuel oil, and six boxes of super dyne explosives from the house of a certain Bonifacio Cepe near the gates of the provincial police office. 

Pacleb, Sobretodo and Roy were ordered to report to the regional police office for further investigation. 

Authorities suspect that the explosives, which were loaded into three jeepneys, were part of illegal explosives being traded in the area. 

Morente wondered how such an illegal activity could thrive in the area without the police detecting it.

Investigators are looking into the possible involvement of police officers in the illegal trade.

Police said the seized explosives could destroy a three-story building.