NPA apologizes for Davao Sur attack that wounded civilians

INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

DAVAO CITY, Philippines – The communist New People’s Army (NPA) on Wednesday afternoon apologized for the landmine explosion that hit an ambulance and injured four rescuers in Barangay (village) Managa in Bansalan, Davao del Sur on Sunday.

Rigoberto Sanchez, spokesperson of the NPA’s Southern Mindanao Command, said the NPA unit doing the attack seemed to have failed to distinguish the ambulance from the two military trucks, which were their targets.

“The ambulance was inconspicuous since it did not discharge its siren, nor was it using any headlights, as per orders from the 39th Infantry Battalion,” Sanchez said in a statement emailed to Philippine Daily Inquirer. He said the 39th IB used civilian rescuers to collect the wounded soldiers from the 11 a.m. encounter with the NPA earlier that day.

“We express our deep regret and commiserate with the victims from the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council, namely, Genaro Doronio Dumayas, driver; Bonita dela Cruz, nurse; and Arnel Comandante Veloroso and Alberto Simbajon Cabual,” Sanchez said.

“We take responsibility for this act, as we stress that the medical staff and mobile medical units should not have been made target of any attack and whose protection and safety is guaranteed under the international humanitarian law,” Sanchez added.

Capt. William Alfred Rodriguez of the 1002nd Brigade public affairs office, said the convoy of three ambulances from Davao del Sur were heading towards Sitio Balutakay in Barangay Managa to evacuate wounded personnel of the 39th IB when they were hit by command-detonated landmines at about 7:30 p.m. Sunday.

Sanchez said the NPA has ordered a full investigation of the event and promised to impose disciplinary actions on the responsible NPA unit if evidence would warrant sanctions.

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