ZAMBOANGA CITY ? Troops of the 105th Infantry Battalion have unearthed the hidden arms cache of the New People’s Army (NPA) in the hinterlands of South Cotabato province, the military said Tuesday.

Lieutenant Colonel Erikzen Dacoco, 105IB commander, said the cache were dug up on Sunday in Sitio Maughan, Barangay Tbolok, T’boli.

Dacoco said the operation was launched after two former NPA rebels, who are now serving as militiamen under the 105IB, tipped off the troops about its location.

“Because of their trust in the military and their desire to put an end to the violence caused by terrorism, they revealed that there are weapons and explosives buried in the area long ago, left behind by their former comrades,” Dacoco said.

Dug up were two M16A1 rifles, four Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) capable of causing widespread damage, and a black bandolier containing four short steel magazines.

Brig. Gen. Michael Santos, 603rd Infantry Brigade commander, said the same two former rebels had previously recovered two IEDs on July 10, and another two IEDs on July 15. DMS