A civilian found at least six pieces of 60-mm mortar ammunition along a national highway in Ampatuan, Maguindanao on Easter Sunday, a military report said.
According to 6th Infantry Division public affairs chief Capt. Jo-Ann Petinglay, the explosives were found by Nasrudin Demalanes at around 1 a.m. by the roadside in Barangay Kauran.
Demalanes then turned over the explosives to operating troops of the 33rd Infantry Battalion under Joint Task Force Central for proper disposition.
The explosives are now with the Explosive Ordnance Team of the 33rd IB in Tacurong City, Sultan Kudarat.
Meanwhile, Petinglay disclosed that hours after the discovery of the explosives, elements of the 1st Mechanized Division encountered a band of Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) in Barangay Katibpuan, Talayan, also in Maguindanao.
The gun battle, which started at around 3:30 a.m., lasted for an hour. There were no casualties reported on the government side but Petinglay said there may have been casualties on the BIFF side.
