NPA urged to spare civilians

The NPA is the armed unit of the Communist Party of the Philippines, and has been waging an insurgency since 1969. AFP FILE PHOTO

DIGOS CITY, Philippines—Davao del Sur Governor Claude Bautista has called on the communist New People’s Army to spare  civilians from attacks following Sunday’s wounding of four medical workers in the town of Bansalan.

The rescue workers were on their way to fetch soldiers who were wounded in an earlier ambush when their ambulance hit a land mine planted by the rebels.

“Please spare the lives of the civilians, especially those of the rescuers who have nothing to do with your war against the military,” Bautista said.

Bautista said the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council responders were only doing their job.

“They don’t care if those wounded were NPA guerrillas or military personnel. They have to find ways to provide assistance when the need arises,” the governor said, adding that the provincial government would shoulder the hospital expenses of the wounded rescue workers.

Earlier Sunday, a militiaman and 11 soldiers were wounded by a landmine explosion that preceded an attack by a band of New People’s Army rebels on a military foot patrol in the village of Managa in Bansalan.

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