FILE PHOTO
TACLOBAN CITY – Six soldiers were wounded after an anti-personnel mine allegedly planted by members of the New People’s Army (NPA) exploded in a village in Las Navas town, Northern Samar on Sunday.
The 8th Infantry Division, based in Catbalogan City, Samar, however, did not identify the injured soldiers who were brought to a medical facility.
Lt. Col. Joemar Buban, the commanding officer of the 20th Infantry Battalion, said the soldiers were in the village to provide security to those implementing the ongoing water system project funded under the barangay development program.
Buban called on the Commission of Human Rights to investigate the continuous use of anti-personnel mines which is violation of the international humanitarian law.
Major General Camilo Ligayo, the commanding general of 8th Infantry Division, said the use of anti-personnel mines by the NPA is a “blatant disregard of international humanitarian law.”
“For this, they deserve our highest level of condemnation,” he said.
Last April 3, 2022, anti-personnel mines allegedly planted by suspected members of the NPA, exploded and killed two police officers in Barangay (village) San Miguel, also in Las Navas town.
On July 19, 2022, another soldier died while five others were wounded after they were attacked by suspected NPA members in Barangay (village) Osang in Catubig town, also in Northern Samar.
Northern Samar has been identified by the military as the last bastion of the NPA in the Eastern Visayas.
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