Three soldiers killed in Northern Samar road mine blast

By: Frances Mangosing - 11 years ago

MANILA, Philippines—Three soldiers were killed and six were wounded in a road mine blast set off by communist rebels in Northern Samar, the military said Friday.

The soldiers from the 34th Infantry Battalion were on security operations when they were waylaid by New People’s Army rebels in Bugtosan village in Las Navas town past 11 a.m. last June 10, said Army’s 8th Infantry Division spokesperson Major Amado Gutierrez said in a belated report.

The blast was only 700 meters away from a populated zone.

The explosion led to a 25-minute firefight between soldiers and rebels. Government troops recovered five improvised explosive device, five electrical blasting caps, 1,500 meters electrical wire and two backpacks.

Gutierrez recalled that on March 5, 2013, Army troops discovered and seized a landmine factory in between Sto. Niño and Pagsanjan villages in Paranas town, Samar. Soldiers recovered 44 pieces improvised landmines, one unit machine for landmine production, 20 pieces blasting caps with detonating cords, etc.

Also, last December 2013, the Army seized 163 pieces of landmines from an NPA landmine factory located at Sitio Mampait in Barangay Kauswagan, Loreto, Agusan del Sur.