IED explosion injures 4 troopers, 3 civilians in Laguna

From the Philippine News Agency (May 18): IED explosion injures 4 troopers, 3 civilians in Laguna

Four army troopers and three civilians were injured by an improvised explosive device (IED) on Wednesday planted by the New People’s Army (NPA) rebels along the boundary of San Antonio and San Jose villages of Luisiana town in this province.

Captain Ace Galorio, information officer, 202nd Infantry Brigade (IB) of the 2nd Infantry Division (2ID) of the Philippine Army (PA), confirmed Thursday that NPA rebels used IED in staging an ambush against troops of the 202IB.

The troops were then dispatched on orders by Colonel Arnulfo Burgos, commander of 202IB, to complement government security forces in Lucban, Quezon around 3:00 p.m. Wednesday.

The explosion wounded the four army troopers on board a cargo truck and the three civilians on a sports utility van and delivery van.

The troopers engaged a brief firefight with about 10 NPA rebels who eventually retreated when the machine gun from an accompanying V-150 armored vehicle opened fire. Troopers believe they have inflicted injury or casualty on the rebels.

Major General Rhoderick Parayno, commander of the 2ID, strongly condemned the desperate act committed by the NPAs that injured non-combatant civilians and damaged their properties.

"Such terror act clearly shows their utmost disregard to existing laws and clear violation of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law (CAHRIHL) to which they are signatories,” Parayno said.

“This contradicts to what these rebels are trying to project with their propaganda.”

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php/articles/989004