As the Army's 27th Infantry Battalion mourn the dead of two
of its fighters and the wounding of 11 others in a road side bomb attack by New
Peoples Army in South Coabato , Army officials
on Thursday called on the public to help the government contain the communist
rebels' terrorism.
“As we honor the service and sacrifice of our soldiers and
CAAs, we recommit ourselves for serving the cause of peace. We will bury our
dead, care for our wounded, and move forward to fulfill our mandate," said
Army Colonel Ronald Jess Alcudia, 27th IB chief.
A tribute for two fallen soldiers who died in the Jan. 22
NPA bomb attack in Sitio Campo 2, Barangay Danlag, Tampakan, South
Cotabato was held Thursday at a Catholic Church here.
Alcudia said his men were tasked to clear the farm-to market
roads in Tampakan of suspected landmines but were treacherously killed and
maimed by NPA elements using an improvised roadside bomb.
“The employment of the terrorists’ weapon of choice has
instilled fear among the populace because the bomb placement sites are the same
routes for commerce and civilian transport," he said.
"Similar to the injuries and trauma suffered by
soldier-victims, there have already been instances of civilian victims of the
NPA’s indiscriminate landmines and improvised explosive devices (IEDs),”
Alcudia said.
Alcudia believed people's cooperation and participation in
the universal campaign against violence and terrorism would help the Army
secure civilians and save lives.
“Unless we are united in purpose in denouncing the communist
movement, declaring that they are not welcome in our communities, we firmly
believe that the NPAs will be emboldened to replicate these kinds of violent
attacks in other areas in South Cotabato for
intimidation and extortion," the 27th IB chief said.
Corporal Mark Casipe and Private First Class Arnel Inonaria
both died when the NPA set off the roadside bomb at past 12 noon on Jan. 22.
Eleven other infantrymen were wounded and confined at
various hospitals here.
Of the total wounded soldiers, three remained in critical
condition and have to undergo critical surgical operations because they
sustained shrapnel injuries in the head, according to Lt. Meynard Fernandez,
27th IB spokesperson.
“They have to undergo a series of surgical operations,”
Fernandez said at the same condemning the NPA for using the worldwide banned
weapons of mass destruction.
Fernandez was referring to the landmine which the NPA still
uses against government forces and civilian targets.
http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=739449
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