High-powered guns, explosives seized in Camarines Norte clash

LEGAZPI CITY — A number of high-powered firearms and explosives were found by government forces after a firefight with suspected New People’s Army (NPA) in Jose Panganiban town in Camarines Norte province on Friday afternoon, police said Saturday.

Police Colonel Marlon Tejada, director of Camarines Norte police, said while conducting combat operations at around 4:30 p.m., the 2nd Police Mobile Force Company and 96th Infantry Batallion of Philippine Army had a 40-minute firefight with more or less 30 members of NPA at Barangay (village) Tamisan.

Recovered from the area after the clash were three M16 rifles, one M203 grenade launcher, four improvised explosive devices, a laptop, eight cellphones and documents.

In a report, Tejada said the rebels were believed to drag their wounded comrades towards northeast direction as manifested by the bloodstains along their withdrawal route. No casualties were reported on the government side.