2 soldiers wounded in landmine blast in Sorsogon

New People’s Army AP FILE PHOTO

LEGAZPI CITY, Albay — Two Army soldiers were wounded when their truck hit a landmine in Matnog town in Sorsogon province on Monday afternoon, military reports said.

2nd Lt. Ariel Cayton and Sgt. Joventico Cerafica were hit by shrapnel following the explosion at 3:45 p.m., said Lt. Col. Angelo Guzman, spokesperson of the military’s Southern Luzon Command (Solcom).

Guzman, in a telephone interview, said the landmine set up by New People’s Army (NPA) rebels was intended for members of the Army’s Quick Reaction Force who were clearing a road in the Sitio Colonia in Barangay Pangi.

The soldiers were securing the village road to ensure the safe passage of vehicles transporting election personnel and materials to the Matnog town hall, he said.

The explosion was followed by a four-minute firefight between Army soldiers and NPA rebels. No one was reported wounded or killed in that clash.

Guzman said Cayton and Cerafica were taken to a hospital in Sorsogon City.  SFM