5 soldiers hurt in Compostela Valley blast

DAVAO CITY – Five soldiers were injured when communist rebels set off an explosive in Mabini town, Compostela Valley province on Monday, the Southern Mindanao police reported on Tuesday.

Chief Insp. Milgrace Driz, Southern Mindanao police spokesperson, said reports reaching them indicated that a platoon of soldiers from the 46th Infantry Battalion were traversing Sitio Patawon in Barangay Cabuyoan when the explosion took place at 10:55 a.m. Monday.

It was not clear in the report if the soldiers were on a vehicle or not.

Driz said responding troops evacuated the wounded soldiers while pursuit operation against the fleeing New People’s Army rebels were conducted.

At 1:10 p.m., Driz said pursuing soldiers caught up with the rebels in Kilometer 15, still in Cabuyoan, and engaged them in a brief firefight.

“No casualty on the government side had been reported,” she added.