Misamis Oriental village cleared of landmines

From the Philippine News Agency (Sep 25): Misamis Oriental village cleared of landmines
 
The military has cleared the farming village of Lantad of landmines, the former rebel stronghold in Misamis Oriental, the provincial Capitol announced on Wednesday.

Edmundo Pacamalan, Jr. the provincial administrative officer, said that combined forces of the military and police had successfully cleared the village of landmines planted by retreating communist New People’s Army (NPA) rebels.

The NPA on Sunday dawn overran an army detachment put up by the military to secure the village, killing an army sergeant and four other volunteer militiamen and left five others wounded.

At least 37 families, mostly members of the Higa-onon tribal groups, were evacuated to safer grounds near the highways in the coastal town of Balingasag as the military mounted clearing and pursuit operations in Lantad since Monday.

Misamis Oriental Gov. Yevgeny Vicente Emano has mobilized the province social welfare development in coordination with other line agencies to assist the evacuees, Pacamalan said.

He said the province’s social welfare department would conduct stress debriefing on the victims, especially children, who were displaced in the Lantad siege.

Emano has also ordered the province’s planning department to submit a comprehensive development plan for Lantad and the rehabilitation of the all purpose weather road network left unattended by the previous administration.

He said his administration will work to meet the needs of the tribal communities in Lantad as the provincial government embarks on a mission to develop the area into a potential tourist destination.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=569387