The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on Tuesday stated that the unprovoked improvised explosive device (IED) attack on ambulances racing to extricate troopers wounded in another IED assault in Bansalan town, Davao Del Sur only demonstrated the terrorist nature of the New People's Army (NPA).
"The attack against the ambulances is a violation of the International Humanitarian Law and it's shocking because they (NPAs) are signatories to Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights," AFP public affairs office chief Lt. Col. Ramon Zagala said.
He also said that there were no security lapses in securing the roads since civilian and medical evacuation vehicles should be spared from being attacked.
Zagala added the use of IEDs or landmines, due to its indiscriminate explosive nature, is strictly prohibited to prevent damages to civilians.
He said that the AFP will pursue the perpetrators in view of ending their violent activities and in bringing peace and development in our rural communities.
NPA fighters earlier staged two landmine attacks in Bansalan town, Davao Del Sur Sunday.
The latest explosion occurred in
This attack hit an ambulance convoy out to help the 11 soldiers wounded in the first landmine blast in Sitio Balutakay, Managa town around 11:18 a.m.
Col. Marcos Norman Flores, Jr., 1002nd Infantry Brigade commander, identified the wounded civilians as Henaro Dumayas, Alberto Cabual, Jr., Arnel Valeroso, Ivan Malingo and Bonita Dela Cruz.
All five are members of the Davao Del Sur Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council.
Dumayas, who sustained wounds at the left forearm, left thigh and inferior side of the head, and Cabual, who was wounded at his left arm, are in critical condition in
Initial reports stated that Menandro Villanueva, Secretary of the Southern Mindanao Regional Committee personally ordered the attack of the civilian ambulance.
“We condemned to the highest degree this barbaric, brutal and inhumane act of the NPA clearly and gravely violating the Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law. We call on various human rights group including the Karapatan, who remained mum whenever the NPA commits serious human rights violations but are active whenever there are alleged, unfounded and deceitful propaganda against the government, to put a stop and to condemn the heinous crimes of the NPA,”
Earlier in the morning, troops of 39th Infantry Battalion under 1st Lt. Ian Rogel Ngalew, were victimized by another NPA landmine while conducting security patrols in Sitio Balutakay, Managa town.
This started an hour-long firefight which resulted in the wounding of 11 soldiers, two of them officers,
On the other hand, community members reported that the NPA brought with them four dead members and several wounded from the firefight.
Pursuit operations are still ongoing.
http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=621941
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