7 kilos of explosives seized in Compostela Valley

MANILA, Philippines - Operatives of the Philippine National Police- Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) seized on Friday night 7 kilograms of improvised explosive device (IED) and other bomb paraphernalia in an operation in Purok 4A, Sitio Panamin Gamay, Barangay Elizalde, Maco, Compostela Valley.

CIDG Region 11 operatives led by Senior Inspector Rodel M. Calo, and personnel of Compostela Valley Police Provincial Office seized one IED, an empty caliber .45 magazine, one blasting cap with detonating cord, assorted IED components, one bundle of electrical wire, one empty M-14 magazine, 16 M-14 rounds, assorted pamphlets believed to be from the New People's Army, one megaphone and a violet bag containing personal belongings, laptop, and a wallet with ID named Rex Franco, a security guard of Mongoose Security Agency detailed with Apex Mining Corp. who was reportedly abducted by the rebels sometime in July 2014.

The operatives raided another house owned by a certain Jona Aricos, where they found another IED, 18 rounds of .50 caliber machine gun rounds, a holster for .45 caliber pistol, one soldering iron and assorted medical supplies.

The CIDG launched the operation after a report from the Army Inteligence noted that an explosive cache is in the area. The group applied for search warrants from Judge Ferdinand Villanueva of the Municipal Circuit Trial Court of Compostela-New Bataan.