Military seizes new arms cache in Shariff Aguak gym

MANILA, Philippines - Military and police units discovered last Tuesday night another arms cache hidden at the gymnasium of Shariff Aguak town as the search continued for the hidden firearms of the Ampatuan clan in Maguindanao.

Lt. Col. Romeo Brawner Jr., Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) spokesman, said the seized firearms include two M60 machineguns, one Minimi light machinegun, 10 M16 rifles and nine M14 rifles.

The Minimi machinegun is one of the latest firearms in the inventory of the AFP.

An investigation is ongoing to determine how these high-powered firearms that were supposed to be issued only to the military and police ended up in the Ampatuan armory.

Police and troops from the Army’s 46th Infantry Battalion received information that led to the discovery of the firearms hidden inside the Shariff Aguak gym.

Shariff Aguak Mayor Anwar Ampatuan is now detained along with his father, clan patriarch and former Maguindanao governor Andal Ampatuan Sr., brother Gov. Zaldy Ampatuan of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARRM), and Mayor Andal Ampatuan Jr. of Datu Unsay, Maguindanao.

The Ampatuans are facing multiple murder charges in connection with the Nov. 23 massacre in Ampatuan town, Maguindanao where 57 people, including 30 mediamen, were killed.

Anwar’s son Ulo, also the vice mayor of Shariff Aguak, has reportedly taken over the leadership of the remnants of the Ampatuan private army.

The discovery the latest arms cache of the clan had bolstered intelligence reports that there are still unrecovered firearms belonging to the Ampatuan private army.

Maguindanao, Sultan Kudarat and Cotabato City are still under a state of emergency until authorities are certain that the situation in these places have normalized.

The massacre killed 57 people, including the wife of Vice Mayor Esmael Mangudadatu of Buluan, Maguindanao and two of his sisters, two female lawyers and 30 mediamen who covered the supposed filing of certificate of candidacy of the vice mayor who is running for governor of Maguindanao to challenge Andal Ampatuan Jr.

The Mangudadatus have blamed the Ampatuans for the incident, specifically pointing to Andal Jr. as the leader of 100 armed men who murdered Mangudadatu’s supporters.

The Ampatuan family has denied any involvement in the killings.

President Arroyo decided to maintain the state of emergency following the recommendation of the National Security Council Cabinet Group.

Maguindanao, Sultan Kudarat and Cotabato City were placed under state of emergency a day after the massacre to enable the military to actively participate in maintaining peace and order in the three areas until government operations there normalize.

Mrs. Arroyo declared martial law last Dec. 4 in Maguindanao to quell what security officials claimed was an ongoing rebellion in the province, allegedly staged by the supporters of Ampatuan.

Just hours after Mrs. Arroyo signed the Proclamation 1959, government troops arrested nine clan members led by Andal Sr. and his sons.

Military and police units raided the various compounds and mansions of the Ampatuans and discovered various high-powered rifles, machineguns, crew-served weapons, armored personnel carriers and assorted ammunition.

Mrs. Arroyo lifted martial rule a week later.