BAYUGAN CITY, Agusan del Sur — Government security forces scored a major victory against the New People’s Army (NPA) after recovering anti-personnel mines (APMs) and other war materiel in the hinterlands of Barangay San Juan on April 14, 2025.
In a joint operation, soldiers from the 65th Infantry (Stalwart) Battalion under the 4th Infantry (Diamond) Division, Philippine Army, together with personnel from the Bayugan City Civilian Protection and Support (BCCPS) and the Philippine National Police (PNP), discovered a cache that included three improvised explosive devices (IEDs), detonating cords, blasting caps, AK-47 magazines, assorted ammunition, and subversive documents. Troops also seized bandoliers, backpacks, medicines, containers of rice, and gasoline.
Military authorities said the recovery of these banned explosives, particularly anti-personnel mines, highlights the NPA’s ongoing defiance of International Humanitarian Law (IHL). Despite global prohibitions, the armed group continues to deploy weapons that indiscriminately endanger both soldiers and civilians.
“The use of anti-personnel mines is a grave violation of International Humanitarian Law,” said Lieutenant Colonel Ray Anthony A. Sisican, Acting Commanding Officer of the 65th Infantry Battalion. “These devices do not distinguish between combatants and non-combatants, and they pose a deadly threat long after they are planted.”
Major General Michele B. Anayron Jr., Commander of the 4th Infantry Division, echoed this condemnation, stressing that such actions are not only criminal but also an affront to human dignity and community safety. “The use of these banned weapons clearly violates international conventions designed to safeguard human lives, especially that of innocent civilians,” he added.
The operation was made possible through the timely and courageous reporting of concerned residents. Authorities credited community cooperation as an essential part of the ongoing campaign to protect local peace and security.
The 4th Infantry Division reaffirmed its commitment to intensifying security operations in Northern Mindanao and the Caraga regions, while calling for continued vigilance and partnership with local government units and the public to help put an end to the threat of insurgency.