Philippine security forces have seized what officials described as a major bomb factory of the New PeopleÂ’s Army in Agusan del Sur and hauled away more than 160 landmines. Military spokesman Capt. Alberto Caber said in a telephone interview that the soldiers also found other bomb components in the facility, which was located in a remote area of the municipality of Loreto town on Wednesday.
Caber called the seizure one of the militaryÂ’s biggest accomplishments against communist militants this year. He said the bomb haul was large enough to kill or harm thousands of people or raze a city if detonated at once.
He said, “We believe these improvised bombs were being distributed to NPA units in Mindanao and used in committing atrocities against government troops and civilians. So far, this confiscation is the largest, maybe even in the entire country.”
Lt. Gen. Ricardo Rainier Cruz III, Eastmincom commander, said, “This is the biggest NPA landmine factory discovered so far."