11 soldiers, 4 civilians hurt in mine blasts

LAND mine victim Alberto Cabual, one of the four civilians wounded in a land mine explosion in Bansalan town, Davao del Sur province, is recovering from his wounds at Digos Doctors Hospital. With him is one of the two ambulance passengers who were not hurt during the blast. Photo by: ELDIE S. AGUIRRE/INQUIRER MINDANAO

DIGOS CITY—Two landmines planted by communist rebels exploded along a road in Basalan town, Davao del Sur province, on Sunday, wounding 11 soldiers, a militiaman and four members of a provincial rescue team.

Army Lt. Aldrin Moral, spokesperson of the 39th Infantry Battalion (IB), said the soldiers were on foot patrol in Sitio Don Carlos in Barangay (village) Managa at past 11 a.m. when a land mine blew up and were fired upon by New People’s Army (NPA) rebels waiting in ambush.

An ambulance sent by the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council to fetch the wounded soldiers hit another land mine around 7:30 p.m. Four of its six passengers were hurt.

Moral identified the military casualties as 1st Lt. Ian Rogel Ngalew, 25, the team leader; 2nd Lt. Josepher Ansay, 24; Privates First Class Edwin Mamalinta, 26, Toto Emar, 42, Jovane Adam, 31, Rodelle de Guzman, 26, and Bryan Ferrer, 23; Privates Rodel John Reynalda, 23, and Gonzalo Gella, 22, and Corporals Jeofrey Espina, 42, and Rufino Aguas Jr., 31.

The name of the twelfth—a member of the Citizen Armed Force Geographical Unit, was withheld.

The wounded civilians were identified as Bonita de la Cruz, a nurse; Genaro Dumayas, the driver; Alberto Cabual, and Arnel Valeroso.

“We did not expect this to happen. We do not choose who to rescue. We rescue even if it is a wounded NPA rebel,” Dumayas said.

All casualties were brought to Digos Doctors Hospital, Moral said. Four soldiers with serious wounds were later moved to a military hospital in Davao City, he added.

Dumayas underwent surgery due to severe wounds in the body while the nurse, De la Cruz, was discharged.

Lt. Col. Norman Zuniega, 39th IB commander, said in a text message that the attacks were clear violations of the Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law, a peace agenda agreement signed by the government and the communist-led National Democratic Front of the Philippines.

Though it remains one of the world’s longest-running Marxist insurgencies, the communist rebel movement has grown considerably weaker in recent years due to battle setbacks, surrenders and factionalism. They remain a national security concern.

Talks to end the rebellion have stalled since 2011 due to disagreements between the government and guerrillas over the release of several jailed rebel leaders. Reports from Orlando Dinoy, Eldie Aguirre and Dennis Jay Santos, Inquirer Mindanao, and AP