Police discover high-powered weapons in Cotabato

MANILA, Philippines (Xinhua) - The Philippine National Police Special Action Force recovered high-powered firearms in a cemetery in the southern Philippines, police said today.

The assorted weapons, usually used by kidnap-for-ransom groups, were discovered within the vicinity of Cotabato City Public Cemetery in Cotabato City Thursday evening, Philippine National Police spokesman Chief Supt. Agrimero Cruz Jr. said.

Among those recovered were 50 caliber heavy machine guns, 30 caliber machine guns with tripod and without tripod, 81 mm mortar tube, 60 mm mortar with plate and bipod, and double barrel 12 gauge shotgun.

"The recovery was made based on an earlier information that unknown contraband are to be buried at the cemetery," Cruz said.

The southern part of the country has been notorious for being the hideout of terrorist groups such as Abu Sayyaf Group, the rebel Moro Islamic Liberation Front, the leftist rebel New People's Army. (report from Philstar.com)