2 soldiers hurt in land mine blast in North Cotabato

Two soldiers were wounded when a land mine exploded while a platoon of soldiers patrolled a village in the hinterlands of Arakan in North Cotabato, the military reported on Monday.

Lt. Nasrullah Sema, 57th Infantry Battalion Civil Military Operations chief, identified the wounded soldiers as Pfc. Oliver Magbanua and Cpl. Abdullah Camsa.

“They suffered minor wounds. They are now safe,” Sema said.

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Police arrest rebel in landmine blast

POLICE filed charges before the City Prosecution Office on Wednesday against a New People's Army (NPA) member involved in a landmine explosion in Paquibato District in Davao City on August 5.

Lieutenant Colonel Lyndon Paniza, spokesperson of the Army's 10th Infantry Division, identified the suspect as Mark Jhon Odorios, 19, a resident of Sitio Bajada, Paradise Embac, Paquibato District.

Paniza said the suspect is now facing criminal charges, after he was positively identified by one Melvin Lucanas, resident of the same area who saw Odorios plant the landmine.

Initial investigation of the Paquibato Police Station showed that Lucanas saw Odorios leaving the area after the landmine exploded. Lucanas recovered some debris and turned them over to a Peace and Development Team of the 10th Infantry Division for documentation.

Paniza said the suspect was arrested around 10 a.m. Monday through the help of residents and barangay officials of Sitio Bajada.

"This is an indication that the people in Paquibato and the local government units are now empowered and joining our campaign for peace and development in their area," Paniza said.

The suspect is now detained at the Paquibato police station. 

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 Ivy C. Tejano | SunStar.Com.Ph | August 9, 2012 | Article Link

Eight soldiers hurt in Basilan bomb blast

ZAMBOANGA CITY - An improvised bomb planted by suspected Abu Sayyaf bandits injured eight Army soldiers in Sumisip, Basilan province on Tuesday night, a military official said Wednesday.

Lt. Col. Randolf Cabangbang, spokesman of Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom) based in this city, said the victims were soldiers from the 12th Scout Ranger Company (SRC) and 11th Division Reconnaissance Company (DRC).

Cabangbang said the soldiers were on their way to Barangay Mangal for a security mission when one of their military trucks hit the improvised device, which was laid as a landmine. The incident took place at around 8:27 p.m., he said.

“At least eight of the soldiers were unfortunately wounded in action,” Cabangbang said.

The explosion partially damaged the military vehicle, he said.

Military explosive ordnance and disposal (EOD) personnel were deployed to the blast site to determine the type of bomb that hit the soldiers. 

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Roel Pareno | SunStar.Com.Ph | July 11, 2012 | Article Link

NPA officer nabbed in Surigao Sur / NPA arrested for Landmines

NPA Officer nabbed in Surigao Sur - Army

MANILA, Philippines -- An alleged officer of the New People’s Army was arrested by authorities in Lianga, Surigao del Sur Wednesday, the Army reported belatedly.

A statement released by the 4th Infantry Division said Hermes Domandan, alias Teddy Bagger, alleged team leader of the Sandatahang Yunit Pangpropaganda and political and finance officer of Platoon 8, Guerilla Front 19B, Northeastern Mindanao Regional Committee, was arrested in Barangay Diatago.

He was the subject of a warrant of arrest for rebellion issued by the Executive Judge of Branch 28 Regional Trial Court Lianga Alfredo Jalad.

Seized from Domandan were a hand grenade, three cell phones, a memory card, chargers and P9,760 cash.

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Abigail Kwok | InterAksyon.com | May 4, 2012 | Article Link

Driver in Compostela Valley yields 'NPA' landmines

MANILA, Philippines - Police and military authorities intercepted and arrested a 35-year-old truck driver caught transporting several improvised landmines in Pantukan, Compostela Valley.

Oliver Balusan, a resident of Bislig City, was intercepted and apprehended at around 10:30 p.m. Wednesday at a checkpoint along the National Highway Townsiye, Barangay Kingking. 

Balusan yielded 12 pieces of improvised landmines (7.5 inches in diameter) and other suspected incendiary devices found in his white Fuso dump truck.

In a statement, Lt. Col. Jerry Borja, Commander of the 71^st Infantry Battalion, said “based on the kind and make of these landmines, there is no doubt that they are owned by the "Organized Crime Group-New People’s Army (OCG-NPA)."

Accordingly, these landmines are bigger than the ones used in Libay-libay, Maco landmine attack.

Borja said a piece of these landmines has a killing radius of 50 meters, if three are combined, anyone within five meters can be killed by its blast alone even without the shrapnel. If all 12 are combined, it can easily collapse a "two-story building.”  

The confiscated items were brought to Pantukan Police Station for proper handling and disposition.

Brig. Gen. Ariel Bernardo, Commander of Philippine Army’s 10^th Infantry Division, said the use of landmines is a violation of international law. 

“The use of landmines is a violation of the provisions of CARHRIHL specifically Part III, Article 2, Paragraph 15. We condemn to the highest degree the NPA’s continued use of these banned landmines,” Bernardo said.

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Abigail Kwok/Jaime Sinapit | InterAksyon.com | May 4, 2012 | Article Link

5 soldiers hurt in Surigao Norte landmine blast

MANILA, Philippines -- Five soldiers were wounded in a landmine explosion in Maninit, Surigao del Norte Wednesday night, a military spokesman said.

Col. Leopoldo Galon, spokesman of the Eastern Mindanao Command, said troops from the 30th Infantry Batallion were on board three military trucks when a landmine exploded along the road in Sitio Mat-e, Barangay Matinao shortly before 9:30 p.m.

Around 15 New People's Army then ambushed the soldiers leading to a 20-minute firefight.

The five wounded soldiers sustained minor wounds from shrapnel and were evacuated to the Caraga Hospital in Surigao City after the incident. Their names have been withheld. 
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Abigail Kwok | InterAksyon.com | March 22, 2012 | Article Link

Soldiers seize rebels' explosive factory

THE Army’s 8th Infantry Division in Catbalogan City seized an explosive factory of the New People’s Army (NPA) in the hinterlands of Paranas, Samar on March 5.

Lieutenant Colonel Niceforo Diaz Jr., spokesperson of the 8th ID, said while Army troopers were performing community work in the upland villages of Paranas town, some residents informed them of the existing explosive production facility located between Barangays Sto. Niño and Pagsanjan.

“The NPA manning the camp were caught off-guard when the government soldiers arrived and prompted them to engage in a brief firefight as they escaped,” Diaz said.

In the course of the firefight, Sergeant Freddie Gusoso was hit on his thigh and was immediately brought to Remedios T. Romualdez Hospital in Tacloban City for medical treatment.

No casualties were reported from the NPA side.

Diaz said the soldiers eventually overran the camp and seized 44 pieces of improvised landmines, one unit of machine for landmine production, 20 pieces blasting caps with detonating cords, assorted explosive production paraphernalia, one B40 type rocket launcher, one improvised round for B40 type rocket launcher and an M16 rifle.

“The 8th ID is now conducting an investigation based on the recovered pieces of evidence from the site with the help of the local police. With the volume and quality of explosives recovered and the geographic location of Samar Island, it is believed that the seized explosive factory has produced landmines for NPA in the Bicol Region and Northern Mindanao,” Diaz said.

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Leyte Samar Daily Express | SunStar.Com.Ph | Thursday, March 8, 2012 | Article Link

Landmine kills 2 soldiers, farmer

MANILA -- The Philippine military said a landmine believed to have been planted by communist guerrillas has killed two soldiers and a farmer in the country's south.

Army Colonel Leopoldo Galon said a platoon of soldiers was patrolling a trail Monday in the mountainous outskirts of Makilala town in North Cotabato province when the landmine exploded.

Galon said the farmer had been walking with the troops. His body was thrown off a ravine by the blast and was later recovered.

Communist New People's Army guerrillas were believed to be responsible. More than 120,000 combatants and civilians have been killed in the 43-year Marxist insurgency, one of Asia's longest.

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AP | Monday, March 5, 2012 | SunStar.Com.Ph | Article Link

Soldier slain in Samar attack

A SOLDIER was killed while three others were wounded when government forces were ambushed by suspected New People’s Army rebels the other night in Eastern Samar.

Lt. Col. Niceforo Diaz, spokesman of Philippine Army’s 8th Infantry Division (ID) said the ambush occurred at around 8 p.m. in Bgy. Antipolo, Llorente, Eastern Samar.

Investigators said  elements of Army’s 43rd Infantry Battalion were on patrol in the area when they were ambushed by rebels.

A landmine planted by the rebels also exploded when hit by the military vehicle.

It was learned that soldiers were assigned to secure evidence of illegal mining activities in the area when they were ambushed.

Despite of the surprised attack, soldiers were able to fight back that resulted in a brief firefight,killing one soldier and wounding three others.

Authorities are conducting follow-up investigation into the incident. 
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Published : Wednesday, February 29, 2012 00:00
Written by : Zaida delos Reyes-Palanca
Journal.Com.Ph
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Soldier killed, 3 others wounded in NPA attack in Compostela Valley

An Army soldier was killed while three others were wounded following an attack by suspected communist rebels in Compostela Valley Monday afternoon, the spokesman for the Philipine Army said Tuesday.

About 5:30 p.m. Monday, a land mine exploded while elements of the Army's 25th Infantry Battalion were conducting security patrols in San Vicente village in Montevista town, said Army spokesman Maj. Harold Cabunoc.

Cabunoc said that as the soldiers alighted from their vehicle to look for cover, more or less 15 New People's Army fired at them, triggering a firefight that lasted for several minutes.

The identities of the government casualties were not immediately known. The three wounded soldiers have since been taken to the COMVAL Regional Hospital for treatment.

Cabunoc deplored the use of land mines by the insurgents, stressing such violates the laws of armed conflict and Republic Act 9851, which punishes international humanitarian violations as domestic crimes.          

Further, Cabunoc said the use of landmines "violates the agreement signed by both the GRP and the NDF panel, as contained in the Comprehensive Agreement on the Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law (CAHRIHL)."

The attack came a month before the NPA, the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines, observes its 43rd founding anniversary on March 29. Peace talks with the National Democratic Front of the Philippines remain stalled since August 2004.
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RSJ, GMA News Online
February 28, 2012 9:22am
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