Big arms cache near Ampatuan mansions unearthed
MANILA - The military on Thursday unearthed a large cache of arms and ammunition, enough to supply a brigade-size unit of the military near the mansions of the Ampatuans in Shariff Aguak, capital town of Maguindanao.
In an interview, Col. Leo Cresente Ferrer, Philippine Army’s 601st Infantry Brigade acting commander, said they found different types of high-powered firearms and ammunition buried in the ground in a vacant lot in Poblacion 3 in Shariff Aguak.
He said the lot is near the mansions of the Ampatuans, who are being investigated for their role in the Ampatuan massacre last November 23.
As of 8:30 p.m., Ferrer said they have discovered 141 boxes of ammunition for high-powered firearms such as M60 machine gun, M16 automatic rifles as well as caliber .45 bullets.
The Army commander said the ammunition found can supply the requirements of a brigade-size unit. An Army brigade consists of at least 1,500 men or at least 2 battalions plus several companies.
He said they also found the following:
- two 81mm mortars;
- a 60mm mortar;
- two 90mm and one 57mm recoilless rifles commonly known as bazookas;
- 4 M60 machine guns;
- caliber .50 Barrett sniper rifle;
- 200 other high-powered guns;
- 1 Ultimax light machine gun;
- 1 Bushmaster 5.56mm carbine;
- 2 Browning Automatic rifles (BARs);
- 1 FAL automatic rifle;
- 1 AK-47;
- 1 Heckler & Koch HK 11 light support machine gun;
- one 5.56mm M4 carbine;
- 9mm and caliber .45 pistols.
Gun replacement parts were also found.
More ammos expected
Ferrer estimated that the military hardware they have so far found has been placed in an area the size of a basketball court. He said the armaments found so far are worth around P1.4 million.
He said they expect to recover more guns and ammunition since the digging is still ongoing.
The digging may take 2 days since the soldiers are only using their hands.
Ferrer said they initially used a bulldozer but decided to stop using it since it might trigger an explosion in case they hit a bomb, artillery or mortar round buried in the ground.
Ferrer said a concerned citizen reported the arms cache to the Army on November 25, 2 days after the massacre which killed at least 57 people in Ampatuan town. The concerned citizen claimed to have seen a backhoe digging in the vacant lot after the killings.
“We have information from a concerned citizen, this was given to the Army and the police, that there was something buried on the night of Nov. 25,” he said.
He said they immediately sent a unit with bomb-sniffing dogs to confirm the report.
From gov't arsenal
Ferrer said the ammunition boxes found bore markings of Armscor, meaning it came from the Government Arsenal in Bataan. He said some of the boxes even indicate the date of manufacture, June 2009.
Armscor supplies ammunition to the military, police, and also civilians, but only upon authorization of the government.
He said military and police uniforms were also found at the excavation site.
Ferrer, however, declined to connect the Ampatuans to the buried arms cache.
He said it would be up to the police to file a case based on the evidence found by investigators.
He said he could not confirm if the firearms were used in the Ampatuan massacre.
“I don’t know. We have the mortars and I don’t believe the mortars were used. May mga bala rin dito, different calibers, puwedeng nagamit noon o ibinaon para sa ganoon magamit pa ng mga goons ng mga private armies,” said Ferrer.
However, he said everyone knows who has the capacity and influence to buy such a large amount of firearms and ammunition.
“We will find out. Wala pa kaming personality. Pero obvious naman eh,” said Ferrer.
Ferrer also expressed his thanks to the civilian who tipped them off. He said the informant is helping achieve peace in Maguindanao.
A breakthrough
Director Felizardo Serapio Jr., directorate for Integrated Police Office-Western Mindanao, hailed the arms and ammunition find.
“This is a breakthrough sa investigation side. Naka-breakthrough na tayo dun sa shells ano... This has been one of the clamor na bakit nakikita natin old firearms. Here, we can see bago, mga brand new... we have not only assault rifles but we have offensive weapons like the Barrett,” said Serapio.
The military earlier recovered firearms from the two Special Civilian Active Auxiliary (SCAA) companies of Maguindanao which are alleged to have been used by the Ampatuans as part of their private army.
However, the recovery of the firearms was criticized since only old firearms such as World War II-vintage M1 Garand rifles were turned over.
The military said the arms and ammunition from the excavation site would be turned over to police, who are expected to test the firearms and see if they were used in the Ampatuan massacre.
“We will know that after the investigation. We will find out...That will be one of the objectives of our investigation. Most probably, may koneksyon sa mga nangyayari,” said Serapio.
Hold accountable
Meanwhile, Lt. Col. Romeo Brawner, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) public information chief, said that whoever was responsible for the buried arms cache found would be held accountable.
He said that the AFP and the Department of National Defense (DND) will immediately launch an investigation.
He confirmed that the ammunitions found were from the Government Arsenal.
Brawner said only soldiers and police should be using supplies from the Government Arsenal located in Limay town in Bataan province, which is where ammunition is manufactured.
Like Ferrer, he also declined to identify who is responsible for the arms cache. -- with a report from Lerio Bompat, ABS-CBN Central Mindanao and Nickee Butlangan
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GIBO
Sabi ni GIBO ang tatay niya daw ay nagsilbi under Marcos at ang department daw na hawak ng tatay niya ay isa sa mga clean na departments. Under Marcos government aasahan mo malinis ang mga departments na hawak niya?. Ngayon sabi niya ang DND na hinawakan niya ay isa rin sa mga malinis na departamento. Ano ang masasabi mo GIBO sa mga nakuhang mga armas sa mga Ampatuans na may tatak pa na DND? Gusto mo maniwala kami sa'yo?
DND
Comments only from what I've heard kay Gibo Teodoro na very clean and transparent daw po and DND during his term, maybe he don't know the gun trafficking of some military and Ampatuan..
Let the world know what's happening in the name of Islam
Applause for the president for making her position regarding this national issue that already involved the whole world. It aroused the public awareness about the status of politics in Southern Philippines. It was a good decision of implementing this executive order for the benefits of innocent ones. I am not pro-administration but so far this was the first undertaking that Gloria administration made that somehow elevated my admiration to her at least a bit throughout her stay as president. And making stand behind the decision is fully appreciated.
This early evening I watched the latter part of Ted Failon's TV program Failon Ngayon guesting Robin Padilla on the show. He said on his message that let the region itself solve its own problem by making the region as separate state from the entire archipelago. To my understanding, he was saying that this civil war-zone region has its own capability of resolving different interest and conflicts between different organizations and its members. His own recommendation was just a result of stupidity of a certain Robin Padilla.
Mindanao as a separate state
How can a region solve its own problem when the people who are supposed to make the resolution are the ones being suspected who caused the violence? Had this claim of Mr. Padilla done previously or way many years back, we would not shock more than 57 people should have suffered and been killed or the worse hadn't shown up permanently. Mr. Padilla knows the fact that this region is totally submerged to dirty political ambition of Ampatuans who have made every part, if not most of them, named after their family members. What? Do you own Maguindanao? If government has allowed the separation of Mindanao from the Philippine archipelago, more likely this state will be as worse as Islam country Iraq.
Christianity vs. Islam
Comparing to Christians, Moslems have more strict norms when it comes to maintainig discipline among themselves. I received an email before showing a young boy being punished by state authority for stealing a bun. You'll be shocked as I was when I learned that the punishment for stealing a piece of bun was crushing his arm by a car running over his arm. Upon checking the pictures, it wasn't an ordinary car that we see along Edsa but it was a utility truck type owner that you can feel upon looking at it how heavy it was. It's right that no religion can ever justify such hideous crime but wondering why do they have such heavy punishment regardless the gravity of the crime. Why is that? Because they know for a fact that they are extremely violent, barbaric, monstrous for the sake of their religion, terrorist, cruel in the name of their beliefs. In order for the governing body to regulate this attitude, they need to implement heavy and drastic in form rules and regulation of their states. This only shows the world what's happening in the name of Islam.
Questioning Martial Law
After Ted Failon show, I was also able to watch news over TV patrol Sabado. Headline featured anti-arroyo questioning Martial Law. I watched the whole interview of Harry Roque, UP law professor. He sounded like he's intimidated by this Maguindanao Martial Law proclamation. He said it might be the start of declaring another martial law covering the entire nation. This statement is premature to publicize. You may critic the government for doing such undertaking however not a proper decorum nor a proper statement to tell the public what is the probability to happen in the future.
Here comes FVR for his overreaction statement. He said there's no need to declare region under military control since law enforcement agencies under control. He even compared the situation when Gloria declared National State of Emergency everytime there was Coup attempt. Mr. former President, maybe you are not aware of what really happened and how these victims were being killed in repugnant manner. Mr. president check this link so that you educate yourself about the reason why there was a need to impose such action
http://www.digital-dreamspace.com/2009/11/ampatuan-massacre-in-maguindan...
I even saw the picture over the internet of the victims who were murdered beastly at its highest way when my friend sent this link through my outlook email. I just saw one picture of it then suddenly closed it. I can't take a look at it.
Secret Vault
Don't just focus about those guns. Those are just a few of the new guns. There are still more from the past few years! And one more thing look for the secret vault of the Ampatuans that contains the gold bars!!!
You may start with the blue print of the Sr's Mansion. That is if makita nyo ang original na blue print. Because the blue print was casted with curses by the Sr. with the blood of engineers and carpenters who died while building that Devil Mansion!
And regarding those baretts, those are from the US government donated to the AFP Snipers! On my account it was about 50 pieces most of which are given to the marines!
Massacre
to the Honorable former Secretary of Defense Mr. GIBO TEODORO..What can you say now? Claims of Magdalo group led by former Navy Trillanes has been proven...your corrupt activities within the military already came out..How much more if you are elected as president? Answer this question during the One on One forum with Ted Failon......How those high powered weapons sold to ampatuans?...To the Supreme Court & DOJ who jailed the magdalo group, what can you say now? Some Evidence of Magdalo claims already came out in public...Set Free those magdalo group...
Kumilos
Kung kumilos agad ang PNP, Army at DOJ noong unang araw ng masaker eh di dapat red handed na nahuli ang mga may utak sa krimen na ito at hindi na naibaon sa lupa na malayo sa kanilang mansion. Isa lang ba ito sa kanilang tricks na walang increminating evidence na itinuro ni GMA sa mga Ampatuan's through her Peace Adviser Hudas Dureza noong pumunta siya doon?
DISCOVERY of the TRUTH!
Sana, while digging for buried ARMS and BULLETS, ma discover din ng mga sundalo yung mga tunay na election report (ERs) na nagsasaad ng tunay na bilang ng boto tinanggap ni GMA nung 2004 at ng senador ng Maguindanao na si Migs Zubiri nung 2007 elections!
At sa paghuhukay ng mga sundalo at police, baka mahukay din nila si LINTANG BEDOL na matagal ng nawawala!
GLORIA..."sumisikip na ang mundo mo"! Pag napatunayang nandaya ka, mapatawad ka kaya ng SAMBAYANANG FILIPINO"???
Essence of Magdalo
This is what the Magdalo have been trying to expose! As you can see their accusation against the government and the AFP generals is now coming out into the open!
They were right all along, but since nobody cared much as other soldiers could. The murder of the Mangundadatu and others turns out to be a sacrificial lamb ignited by one of the Warlords themselves (Ampatuan clan)
As some mentioned earlier this is just the tip of the iceberg, but a bit of complexity since this ice is a multicolored one, due to the different issues and crimes connected to this gruesome killing!
below is a sample of crime tree that is related with the latest massacre at maguindanao:
Mangundadatu Massacre --> Ampatuan --> AFP --> Generals --> Arroyo Administration.
Ampatuan --> Political Rivals --> Witnesses
Ampatuan --> civilians and Indigenous victims --> MILF
Ampatuan --> Government employees (Appointed clan Members)
Ampatuan --> Private Armies --> Land grabbing
AFP --> Magdalo (shut down)
Arroyo --> Alliance --> Government Funds --> Ampatuans
Partly at this point the reason why The MILF is not dying is because the government is helping the Ampatuans who were grabbing the lands of indigenous and other peace loving clans of Maguindanao and they sought to found refuge from the MILF! This is also one big reason that the Memorandum of Ancestral Domain should be push through for the Bangsamoro People, but with the complexity of the matter, it shouldn't be because this lands will then be taken by the Ampatuans and later on will cause another land shortage!
Few more weeks to go the Agricultural Fields of the Ampatuan under the supervision of the wives of Ampatuan Sr. is ready for harvest. The fruits of this hectares of fields should have been a help to different farmers who originally owns this vast plains of agricultural field!
FSSU
A flash back when and how this guns and ammunition landed on the hands of the Ampatuans!
Early this year there was a incident inside the 6th Infantry Division specifically at the Supply Unit. It was a series of gun shots and explosion echoing in the air that brought a temporary fear at the nearby village. Because in due time it was discovered that the 6ID armory was on fire!
This is how the AFP Officials of 6th Infantry Division Launder their un-accounted fire powers and ammunition. Its like leaving no trace so as even their mistress wouldn't notice it!
Many more incidents of this kind inside the 6th Infantry Division that destroyed careers of Innocent Enlisted Men of the AFP! Way back while the Ampatuan was still milking to power this has been a routine to prevent and cover-up administrative accountability of the 6ID Generals!
Just Imagine a minimum General's Payroll price is twice the price of the guns and ammunition being delivered to the Ampatuans!
General: "Hey there Private! Yes you Private! What you SEE and what you HEAR here live it HERE!
General Order - Obey First Before You Complain!
Private: Sir Yes Sir! T_T
Gibo- BUKING kana
Gibo.. alam namin na hindi ka mag wi-withdraw sa pag kandidato mo dahil manang mana ka sa amo mong pandak... KAPAL MUKS !!!