BY DOMINIQUE GABRIEL G. BAÑAGA
BACOLOD City – The Philippine Army’s 94th Infantry Battalion (94IB) overran a suspected ammunitions dump of the New People’s Army (NPA) in Sitio Double Yarding, Barangay Mahalang, Himamaylan City, Negros Occidental on Sept. 22.
Brigadier General Inocencio Pasaporte, 303rd Infantry Brigade (303IBde) commander, said the 94IB was informed about it by former rebels.
The government troops recovered almost 2,000 live rounds of ammunition, two anti-tank mines, eight anti-personnel mines, and 10 improvised explosive devices (IEDs).
Pasaporte said the ammunition and explosives belonged to the NPA’s Central Negros 2 members under the Komiteng Rehiyon Negros-Cebu-Bohol-Siquijor.
The 303IB commander slammed the NPA for another violation of the Geneva Convention, pointing out the ammo dump was located near a trail which civilians use.
Meanwhile, Captain Kim Apitong, Philippine Army’s 3rd Infantry Division spokesperson, said the recent find is proof that the NPA is using anti-personnel mines to inflict casualties on both government forces and civilians.
“Pinagbabawal po ang paggamit nyan, and they [are] still using it. This proves that they are indeed terrorists,” Apitong said./PN
