1 of 2 wounded soldiers dies a day after Basilan IED attack

ZAMBOANGA CITY—One of the two soldiers wounded from an explosion at a checkpoint in Lamitan City, Basilan Tuesday, Aug. 31, died upon arrival at a military hospital here.

Corporal Cyrus P. Bunda was airlifted here for treatment but was declared dead upon arrival at the Camp Navarro General Hospital, according to Major General Generoso Ponio, acting commander of the Western Mindanao Command.

Bunda was a native of Surala, South Cotabato and a member of the 68th Infantry Battalion based in Campo Uno, Lamitan City.

He and Private Army Vember Basco, another enlisted personnel, were manning the checkpoint when an improvised device exploded. After being hit by shrapnel, Bunda’s rifle with a grenade launcher was taken by armed men on board a black XRM motorbike.

“One of the suspects shot Basco four times using a caliber 45 pistol and successfully grabbed Bunda’s R4 A3 rifle, with the M203. Bunda was unconscious due to the explosion,” Brig. Gen. Domingo Gobway, commander of the Joint Task Force Basilan, earlier told the Inquirer.

“We lost a good soldier,” Gobway said. He has been in military service for almost 10 years.

Basco was brought to the Zamboanga City Medical Center for treatment.

Gobway, also the commander of Joint Task Force Basilan, said they were still running after the suspects who reportedly fled towards Barangay Cabobo, also of Lamitan City.

“We will continue to intensify our efforts to identify the perpetrators and prevent a similar incident from happening again,” he said.

On July 31 three years ago, Lamitan was also rocked by an explosion. An improvised explosive device categorized as a fertilizer bomb killed 10 persons and wounded seven others. The Abu Sayyaf Group targeted the checkpoints in Barangay Magkawit, Bulanting, Colonia, and Maganda, the police said.

lzb