8 killed in Misamis blast

SAPANG DALAGA, Misamis Occidental — Five soldiers and three civilians were killed while four other soldiers were seriously wounded in a landmine blast at Sitio Kalunod on Sunday morning.

The site of the blast was only a kilometer away from the Army camp in Barangay Bitebot here.

Sketchy reports from the Philippine National Police (PNP) provincial headquarters disclosed that the nine soldiers and three women were on board a pick-up type military service vehicle and on their way to the poblacion of Sapang Dalaga when the vehicle hit two landmines alledgedly planted by the New People’s Army (NPA) operating the area. The vehicle was thrown 50 meters away from the blast site.

Major General Gabriel Habacon, of the First Tabak Division Philippine Arm, said the explosion was followed by a volley of gunfire from communist insurgents, killing five soldiers. The four soldiers who survived the attack were, however, able to return fire until re-enforcements arrived.

The fatalities were identified as 1Lt. Arthur Gelotin, Cpl. Felix Tenoso, PFC Jesie Basaya, Pvt. Alexander Tupal, who belong to 15th Reconnaisance Company of the Philippine Amry.

Sources did not disclose the names of the civilian fatalities and the four wounded soldiers. Reports said the three women were relatives of the Army troopers, one of whom was pregnant.

Habacon has ordered a manhunt of the communist rebels responsible for the landmine blast.

Three weeks before the incident George Madlos, alias Ka Orit, spokesman of the National Democratic Front (NDF) announced that the NPA will launch an offensive against government forces.

Misamis Occidental and the western part of Mindanao is under the Front Monterosa command of the NDF, military sources added.

No encounter between the military forces and the NPA was reported after the blast.

Armed Forces Southern Command chief Lt. Gen. Edilberto Adan condemned the insurgents for using landmines, which is banned by the International Humanitarian Law.

Adan reminded the troops to stay alert against treacherous attacks by the communist guerrillas.