Soldiers recover bomb components, IEDs after clash with NPAs in Surigao Sur

MANILA, Philippines — Government troops clashed with suspected New People’s Army rebels in Surigao del Sur on Monday, seizing components as well as explosives from the rebels.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines said this clash showed that the rebels had been carrying explosives or making explosive devices for  their use.

“We recovered blasting caps and electric wires. This means that they have explosives with them, and this alarms us,” said Col. Noel Detoyato, the AFP public affairs office chief.

The encounter was the third in a series of firefights between the NPA and the military.

Monday’s encounter happened at around 8:50 a.m. in Barangay San Roque in San Miguel, Surigao del Sur as soldiers were conducting focused operations in the area.

Around 30 rebels engaged in a firefight with government troops but the NPA were eventually forced to withdraw after a 40 minute gunfight.

Aside from blasting caps and electric wires, the military also recovered six magazines for AK-47 rifles, and a magazine for an M-16 rifle.

“That we had an encounter with them is proof that there are still armed rebels in Surigao del Sur and our troops are not letting up in going after them,” Detoyato said.

Capt. Patrick Joe Martinez, public affairs officer of the 4th Infantry Division, said they also recovered three improvised explosive devices in Monday’s encounter.

Monday’s gunfight with the rebels is the third in a series of encounters in recent days.

Martinez identified the rebels as coming from the NPA’s Guerrilla Front 19 of the Northeast Mindanao Regional Committee.

The first encounter happened on September 3 in Barangay Diatagon in Lianga, with the firefight lasting for 15 minutes between seven rebels and the soldiers. Some rebels were reportedly wounded.

Recovered after the firefight were an AK47 rifle with a loaded magazine, two backpacks with personal belongings and rebel documents with high intelligence value.

Two days later on September 5, the government troops encounterd the rebels anew in Barangay Bolhon in San Miguel.

A policeman was wounded after the 20 minute firefight, after which the rebels withdrew with the troops in hot pursuit. SFM