Troops seize land mines found in truck in Compostela Valley

TAGUM CITY—Soldiers and policemen manning a checkpoint in Pantukan, Compostela Valley, intercepted a dump truck loaded with 12 land mines late Wednesday, military and police officials said Thursday.

The driver of the white Fuso dump truck (RLG-737) identified as Oliver Bulosan, 35, was immediately detained and was being questioned at the Pantukan municipal police station, said Major Jacob Obligado, 10th civil military operations commander.

Senior Inspector Gretchin Cinco, spokesperson of the Southern Mindanao police command based in Davao City, said by text message that members of the Pantukan police and soldiers from the 71st IB were at a checkpoint in Barangay (village) Kingking when they intercepted the dump truck, registered under a Bonito Pido of Camarin, Caloocan City, past 10 p.m. on Wednesday.

She said the driver was fidgety when asked what the dump truck’s cargo was.

“So the policemen and the soldiers started inspecting the vehicle. It turned out he had an illegal cargo,” said Captain Janaloden Sanggacala, 71st IB spokesperson.

Sanggacala said the vehicle came from Davao Oriental.

Cinco said bomb disposal experts from the Compostela Valley police disabled the land mines. Frinston Lim with a report from Orlando Dinoy, Inquirer Mindanao