Joint operating troops from the Police Regional Office in Caraga (PRO-13) and the Philippine Army uncovered an arms cache believed to belong to the New People’s Army (NPA) in Barangay Antongalon, Butuan City, on Monday.
Police Brig. Gen. Marcial Mariano P. Magistrado IV, director of PRO-13, said the discovery was made by personnel of Butuan City Police Station 4, the 29th Infantry Battalion, and the 25th Ordnance Explosive Disposal (EOD) Team of the Philippine Army after acting on a report from a concerned citizen.
Recovered from the site were five M76B rifle grenades, one M76C rifle grenade, one M76A-1 rifle grenade, two short plastic magazines for M16 rifles, four short alloy magazines for M16 rifles, one long magazine for an M16 rifle, two M60 barrels with defaced serial numbers, one handheld radio, and one Alcatel keypad cellular phone.
‘I commend our citizens for helping maintain peace and order in the region, particularly through their vigilance in reporting the presence of firearms and explosives. Our operatives are still conducting an investigation into the origin and intended use of the recovered items, as well as the individuals or groups responsible for storing them in the area,’ Magistrado said.
Authorities said the five M76B rifle grenades, one M76C rifle grenade, and one M76A-1 rifle grenade were deemed hazardous to handle and were immediately disposed of through controlled detonation at the site by the 25th EOD Team.
Meanwhile, the two recovered M60 barrels were turned over to the Butuan City Forensic Unit for ballistic examination.