Explosives found in Agusan cave

NASIPIT, Agusan del Norte — High powered explosives with timing devices were found by military operatives in a cave in sitio Hinandayan, Barangay Kamagong here on Monday evening.

Intelligence reports said the explosives were meant to bomb public places like seaports, airports, public markets, city halls, government installations and offices, public and private vital communications facilities and passenger buses.

Lt. Col. Pendatun Guro, Deputy Commanding officer of the 401st Infantry Brigade based in Barangay Bancasi, Butuan City, confirmed the report and said communist insurgents operating in the Caraga Region were behind the planned terrorist attacks.

It was not, however, specifically identified in the report what bus terminals or seaports are targeted by the rebels.

Nasipit, Agusan del Norte Mayor Enrico Corvera told The STAR that the military has also discovered explosives in the area in November last year, though not inside a cave.

According to a military report, members of the 30th IB engaged some six armed NPA members in an encounter that lasted for five minutes and lead to the discovery of the underground NPA camp, which can reportedly accommodate 60 to 100 persons.

Lt. Col. Ronald Albano, commanding officer of the 30th IB, said his men discovered that the underground camp has tiled toilets and five rooms.

In his report to Brig. Gen. Rogelio Rosete, 401st Brigade Commanding Officer, Albano claimed his men confiscated 30 pieces of dynamite sticks weighing two pounds each 40 kilos of ammonium sulfate, one gallon of acid solution, 10 rolls of detonating cords, eight blasting caps, 15 capacitors and timing devices, four rolls of electrical wires, 11 bottles of ferric chloride, landmines splinters, soldering rods, weighing scales, two boxes of epoxy, electric grinder, electric drilling set, two pieces of Azufre, medicines and first aid kits, communication equipment, diskettes and two sacks of subversive documents.

Also confiscated were 60 rounds of M-16 armalite live ammunitions, one caliber .38 pistol, garand rifle and eight firing pins of M-19 armalite rifles and trigger housing of garand rifles.

Brig. Gen. Rogelio Rosete, 401st Infantry Brigade Commanding General, has ordered operatives of the 30th IB to conduct hot pursuit operations against the fleeing rebels

Albano’s group was the men who uncovered a plot to attack vital public and private communication facilities in Alegria, Surigao del Norte Municipal Hall last year.