5 soldiers hurt in ComVal town blast

From the Philippine News Agency (May 23): 5 soldiers hurt in ComVal town blast

Five soldiers of the Army's 46th Infantry Battalion were wounded after an improvised explosive device (IED) exploded on Monday evening in Sitio Patawon, Barangay Cabuyuan, Mabini, Compostela Valley.

A platoon of the 46th IB’s Charlie Company was moving towards Km 15, Barangay Cabuyuan, Mabini, Compostela Valley at around 10:55 p.m. when the IED exploded, a report released by the Police Regional Office-11 (PRO-11) said.

Chief Insp. Milgrace Driz, PRO-11 spokesperson, said the explosion was believed to be perpetrated by Milisyang Bayan (MB) members belonging to the Apo Cluster B, led by a certain Janu.

The soldiers, whose names have not yet been disclosed as of posting time, were evacuated by the responding troops of 46th IB.

Driz said the Mabini municipal police and military counterparts are conducting a follow-up investigation on the incident.

Earlier in the day at around 1:10 p.m. (May 21), police said a squad of the 46th IB encountered members of the New People’s Army’s (NPA) Guerilla Front 2 at Km 15, Barangay Cabuyuan, resulting to a firefight that lasted about five minutes.

Capt. Jerry Lamosao, 10th Infantry Division spokesperson, said the soldiers were conducting a reconnaissance patrol when they encountered the rebels. There was no reported casualty on the government side in said incident.

 http://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1036116