Police and military forces recovered two improvised anti-personnel mines, several firearms and ammunition from a concealed arms cache in Barangay Agaman Proper, Baggao, Cagayan, on Aug. 26. Photo courtesy of PNP.
Police and military forces recovered a concealed weapons cache containing improvised anti-personnel mines, firearms and ammunition in Baggao, Cagayan, after receiving information from a former rebel.
The cache was found in Barangay Agaman Proper on Aug. 26 along what authorities described as a mobility corridor used by a communist armed group.
Police said the information came from a former rebel identified only by the alias “Romy,” prompting a joint operation involving PNP units and the Philippine Army’s 17th Infantry Battalion.
Recovered were two improvised anti-personnel mines, a 12-volt battery, 10 linked rounds of 7.62mm ammunition, a caliber .45 pistol, a caliber .38 revolver, a 9mm pistol and a 12-gauge shotgun. Several of the firearms were already corroded.
Explosive and canine personnel were called in to secure and handle the suspected explosive devices before they were turned over for proper disposal.
The firearms and ammunition were placed under the temporary custody of the Regional Mobile Force Battalion 2 for documentation and appropriate disposition.
“Every successful recovery is an opportunity to prevent these weapons from reaching the battlefield or being used against civilians. This accomplishment demonstrates the value of timely information and the readiness of our forces to act on threats before they escalate,” PNP chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. said.
Authorities said the recovery was part of continuing operations aimed at preventing armed groups from replenishing weapons and explosives that could be used in attacks or other security threats.
