Troops alerted for rebel attacks in South

From the Manila Times (Dec 28): Troops alerted for rebel attacks in South

 

A photo released by the military shows the improvised land mine planted by NPA rebels in Surigao del Sur

Troops in Mindanao were placed on heightened alert for rebel attacks following a foiled roadside bombing in Surigao del Sur.

The military reported that New People’s Army (NPA) guerillas planted a powerful bomb on a highway in Marihatag town on Friday and deployed snipers, forcing authorities to seal off the road.

It took hours for soldiers to secure the highway and disarm the improvised explosive.
Major Ezra Balagtey, a spokesman for the Eastern Mindanao Command, said the bomb was discovered by a civilian who informed the military and police authorities.

“The road was impassable until about 9 o’ clock in the evening because of the presence of NPA snipers in the vicinity. Troops did not engage the rebels due to the presence of civilians in the area which prevented Explosive Ordnance Disposal and K-9 teams from 4th Infantry Division to render safety recovery of the explosive not until night time,” Balagtey said.

After the rebels fled, the soldiers recovered a 5-kilogram landmine wired to a blasting cap.

http://www.manilatimes.net/troops-alerted-rebel-attacks-south/151776/