LETHAL WEAPON. Soldiers and members of Citizens Armed Forces Geographical Unit disable a Claymore-type improvised anti-personnel mine planted by suspected New People’s Army near the farmlands in Barangay Mabuhay, Prosperidad, Agusan del Sur on Sunday (Nov. 17, 2019). The explosive could have caused death and destruction if it was not immediately acted upon, the Army says. (Photo courtesy of the Army's 3rd Special Forces Battalion)
The immediate response of authorities saved the lives of farmers in a village in Agusan del Sur from a deadly improvised explosive.
The Army’s 3rd Special Forces Battalion (3SFBn) on Sunday (November 17) said that elements of 8th Special Forces Company (8SFC) successfully uncovered last Saturday a Claymore-type anti-personnel mine planted by suspected New People’s Army (NPA) rebels near a farmland in Barangay Mabuhay, Prosperidad, Agusan del Sur.
“The farmers reported to the 8SFC troopers the IED (improvised explosive device) they discovered near their farms,” 1Lt. Krisjuper Andreo J. Punsalan, 3SFBn civil-military operations officer, told the Philippine News Agency on Sunday.
Members of the Citizens Armed Forces Geographical Unit (CAFGU) and 8SFC troopers immediately composed a team to disable, recover and dispose of the explosive to prevent any damage to civilians and government troops, Punsalan added.
Punsalan said the Claymore-type anti-personnel mine could have brought death and devastation to the farmers and civilians in the area if it was not immediately disabled.
“The IED recovered could kill anyone within the 50-meter killing zone in a single blast,” Punsalan pointed out, adding that its stray fragments could also inflict serious harm to persons within 100 to 250 meters.
The farmers in the area lambasted the NPA for putting into danger their lives, including that of their children and other family members.
A farmer quoted by the Army who asked anonymity said the explosive was planted very close to his farm. He added that three of his neighbors are also farming near the spot where the explosive was planted by the NPA.
“The NPA is the reason why most of the farmers don’t attend to their farmlands anymore. We are worried because we might become victims if the IEDs explode anytime,” the farmer was quoted as saying.
He also bared that the NPA regularly collects their share and the farmers usually give in to their demands due to fear.
The Army’s 401st Infantry Brigade on Sunday lauded the efforts of the civilians in reporting the discovery of the explosive to authorities.
“The peoples’ support greatly hurts these terrorists (NPA) because they have nowhere to run. This is the reason why they try so hard to discredit the EO 70, the military’s presence and the construction of Patrol Bases in the conflict-affected communities,” said Col. Allan D. Hambala, commander of 401Bde.
EO 70, issued by President Rodrigo R. Duterte last year, mandates the creation of task forces at the municipal, provincial, and regional levels with the aim to end the local communist conflicts and allow development interventions in communities to achieve lasting peace.
https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1086319
The Army’s 3rd Special Forces Battalion (3SFBn) on Sunday (November 17) said that elements of 8th Special Forces Company (8SFC) successfully uncovered last Saturday a Claymore-type anti-personnel mine planted by suspected New People’s Army (NPA) rebels near a farmland in Barangay Mabuhay, Prosperidad, Agusan del Sur.
“The farmers reported to the 8SFC troopers the IED (improvised explosive device) they discovered near their farms,” 1Lt. Krisjuper Andreo J. Punsalan, 3SFBn civil-military operations officer, told the Philippine News Agency on Sunday.
Members of the Citizens Armed Forces Geographical Unit (CAFGU) and 8SFC troopers immediately composed a team to disable, recover and dispose of the explosive to prevent any damage to civilians and government troops, Punsalan added.
Punsalan said the Claymore-type anti-personnel mine could have brought death and devastation to the farmers and civilians in the area if it was not immediately disabled.
“The IED recovered could kill anyone within the 50-meter killing zone in a single blast,” Punsalan pointed out, adding that its stray fragments could also inflict serious harm to persons within 100 to 250 meters.
The farmers in the area lambasted the NPA for putting into danger their lives, including that of their children and other family members.
A farmer quoted by the Army who asked anonymity said the explosive was planted very close to his farm. He added that three of his neighbors are also farming near the spot where the explosive was planted by the NPA.
“The NPA is the reason why most of the farmers don’t attend to their farmlands anymore. We are worried because we might become victims if the IEDs explode anytime,” the farmer was quoted as saying.
He also bared that the NPA regularly collects their share and the farmers usually give in to their demands due to fear.
The Army’s 401st Infantry Brigade on Sunday lauded the efforts of the civilians in reporting the discovery of the explosive to authorities.
“The peoples’ support greatly hurts these terrorists (NPA) because they have nowhere to run. This is the reason why they try so hard to discredit the EO 70, the military’s presence and the construction of Patrol Bases in the conflict-affected communities,” said Col. Allan D. Hambala, commander of 401Bde.
EO 70, issued by President Rodrigo R. Duterte last year, mandates the creation of task forces at the municipal, provincial, and regional levels with the aim to end the local communist conflicts and allow development interventions in communities to achieve lasting peace.
https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1086319
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