Army condemns NPA's continued use of landmine
Seven soldiers were wounded in a landmine incident along
Panalum-Paquibato Proper road, Paquibato District, Davao City at 1:15
p.m. yesterday.
Reports reaching the Army Chief Lt. Gen. Victor S. Ibrado identified the
wounded soldiers as SSg Catalino M Sumadia of the 1002 Infantry Brigade;
Cpl Agapito Pon and PFC Pelco of P Lagarde both of 60th Infanry
Battalion; Cpl Jubail A Arpa and Pfc Rizaldo F Batacandolo, both of 72nd
IB; and Cafgu Active Auxiliary (CAA) Cesar D Isabelo of Charlie Company,
72nd IB.
Accordingly, the troops of 9th Special Forces (SF) Company, 10rd
Division Reconnaissance Company, Special Operations Team of 60th IB and
personnel of the brigade led by Col. Joseph P. Ibanez, commanding
officer of 1003rd Brigade were on convoy onboard eight 1/4 Ton KM450
truck when they were landmined.
The soldiers were immediately brought to Rivera Hospital in Panabo City
for medical treatment while troops of 3rd SFBn under 1Lt. Pacheco rushed
to the area to conduct clearing operations. The combat/clearing
operations are still ongoing as of this report. The vehicle was slightly
damaged.
The Philippine Army would like to reiterate that the NPA terrorists have
always been violating the International Humanitarian Law (IHL) and the
Geneva Convention by using these IEDs or landmines, with an aim to
destroy private and even public properties. Yet, they are always the
first to invoke IHL and the Geneva Convention when trying to point out
infractions of the Armed Forces.
A few weeks ago, the NPA terrorist group admitted that they were behind
the explosion of two roadside bombs that wounded Masbate Governor Elisa
Kho and a security aide. Despite giving an apology by saying that the
victims were not the real targets of the attack, the NPA should be held
liable for this. This did not happen once but for so many times now and
yet the NPA think they can easily get away with this, while some human
rights groups and other leftist organizations are callous about the
issue. As these terrorist groups do not choose their victims, so do the
landmines whether men in uniform or defenseless civilians.
In a similar incident, a group of cordoned six fully armed NPA
terrorists torched a Globe cell site in Barangay Nalunao, Lucban, Quezon
on January 28, using six gallons of big water container.
The lone security guard Henry Calsado was forcibly held. His revolver
and cellular phone was taken by the fleeing suspects, who went toward
Northeast direction of Brgy. Kalangay, Lucban, Quezon.
According to 1Lt. Celeste Frank L. Sayson, spokesperson of the Army's
2nd Infantry Division based in the area, the burning of the said cell
site resulted on minimal destruction. It barely damaged the relay box of
the said tower.
"The incident was hastily executed to divert the operating troops who
were earlier deployed near the place of incident. This incident is part
of the NPA's tactical ploy to ease the pressure of the Army's ongoing
combat operations in central Quezon and other parts of the region. It
further attests that the rebels are waning in strength and capabilities
for the mode of this atrocity is poorly planned and executed," he said.
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