PITONG tauhan ng Philippine Army ang nasugatan, dalawa sa kanila ang nasa kritikal na kalagayan, nang sumabog ang hinihinalang roadside bomb na itinanim ng mga communist terrorist sa Mapanas, Northern Samar.
Ayon sa ulat na ibinahagi ng Army 8 Infantry Division isang anti-personnel mine ang pinasabog ng mga NPA habang nagsasagawa ng road clearing operation ang mga sundalo sa Barangay Magsaysay bandang alas 6:15 kahapon ng umaga.
Kabilang sa mga sugatan ang isang Sergeant, apat Privates First Class, isang Corporal, at Private na pawang kasapi ng 20th Infantry Battalion (20IB).
Ayon kay Major Gen. Edgardo de Leon, commander ng 8ID, kasama ang nasabing trop ng 63rd Infantry Battalion (63IB) para magsagawa ng community service sa nasabing bayan ng makatanggap ng ulat hinggil sa umanoy pagtatanim ng bomba ng mga NPA sa area.
“Actually, the troops were on an immersion in the village and they were conducting clearing operations because they received reports that there were mines planted by the rebels,” ani De Leon .
“In the process of the clearing operations, an anti-personnel mine suddenly went off and it was planted on the trail where civilians pass by. Luckily, there were no civilians hurt but seven of our troops were injured, two of them were critical,” pahayag pa ng heneral.
Isa sa mga sundalo na may rangong private first class ang napuruhan sa ulo at kasalukuyang nasa kritikal na kondisyon. “Hopefully malagpasan nila yung kanilang ordeal na, nagko-community service na nga, pinasabugan pa ng anti-personnel mine,” ani De Leon
Agad na nagsagwa ng hot pursuit operation ang mga tauhan ng pamahalaan laban sa mga hinihinalang NPA na responsable sa paggamit ng landmine na tahasang ipinagbabawal sa ilalim ng International Humanitarian Law (IHL).
“Until now, the NDF could not stop the NPA from manufacturing, transporting, stockpiling, and using anti-personnel mines. In this particular incident, somebody detonated the anti-personnel mine because it was not pressure-released,” pahayag pa ng opisyal. (VICTOR BALDEMOR)
