South Cotabato Gov. Daisy Avance-Fuentes has denounced the
use of landmines by New People’s Army (NPA) rebels in an attack in a hinterland
village in Tampakan town on Sunday afternoon that killed two Army soldiers and
wounded 11 others.
Fuentes said the rebels violated international humanitarian
laws and a United Nations (UN) convention when it used landmines in an attack
on a convoy of the Army’s 27th Infantry Battalion (IB) in Sitio Campo 4 of
Barangay Danlag, Tampakan at around 1:45 p.m. on Sunday.
She was referring to the Ottawa Mine Ban Treaty or the
“Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer
of Anti-Personnel Mines and on their Destruction” and the Comprehensive
Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law.
The governor said the use of landmines is not only banned by
such treaties, which the NPA had claimed adherence, but very dangerous,
especially for civilians.
“It’s very appalling because they could have harmed civilians
passing by the area,” Fuentes said in a radio interview.
The 27th IB troopers were on their way to Sitio Datal Biao
of Barangay Danlag when a landmine exploded by the roadside at a portions of
Sitio Campo 4.
The group was responding to an attack on Saturday staged by
NPA rebels in Sitio Datal Biao on a Citizens Armed Forces Geographical Unit
(Cafgu) base under the Army 72nd IB that killed a Cafgu member identified as
Mark Lozada.
Lt. Col Ronald Jess Alcudia, 27th IB commander, said a
soldier was killed on-the-spot while another later died while being treated at
the South Cotabato
Provincial Hospital
in Koronadal City
The fatalities were identified as Cpl. Mark Casipe and Pfc.
Arnel Inonaria, who sustained severe head and body injuries.
The injured troopers were rushed to the provincial hospital
but some of them were later referred to hospitals here and in Davao City
Fuentes said their top priority as of the moment is the
medical treatment of the wounded soldiers, most of whom sustained head
injuries.
She said the local government shouldered the initial
expenses for the treatment of the injured troopers.
The governor said the incident has not triggered any
evacuation from local residents and assured they are closely monitoring the
situation in parts of Barangay Danlag.
She added that the South Cotabato Provincial Police Office
has already mobilized some of its personnel to augment the security operations
in the area.
http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=738081
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