Troopers seize IED, firearms in Agusan

MANILA, Philippines — Army soldiers recovered an improvised explosive device (IED), firearms and other items following an encounter with suspected  New People’s Army (NPA) guerrillas in Buenavista, Agusan del Norte over the weekend.

Aside from the IED, among the items recovered were two rifles, a pistol, electrical wires, a grenade, ammunition, five phones, binoculars and personal belongings.

The encounter between the troopers and at least 10 guerrillas occurred in Barangay Lower Olave on Saturday, according to 1/Lt. Roel Magla-lang, civil military operations officer of the Army’s 23rd Infantry Battalion (IB).

Maglalang said the troopers were responding to a report about the presence of armed men in the area when they clashed with the rebels.

Lt. Col. Francisco Molina Jr., chief of the 23rd IB, attributed the recovery of the items to the cooperation between the residents and the military.

“Through the cooperation of the civilian stakeholders, we were able to save lives by thwarting the hostile plans of the rebels,” Molina said.