A civilian was injured by a roadside bomb intended to hit a military truck loaded with soldiers in Davao City on Tuesday, a Philippine Army unit spokesman said.
Capt. Rosa Ma Cristina R Manuel, in a statement, said Ronald Sayan who was onboard a motorcycle was injured when an improvised explosive device (IED) exploded 9:35 a.m. in Sitio Sabunutan in Suawan in Marilog district. Manuel is Army’s 10th Infantry Division (10ID) public affairs officer.
The Army statement said troops of 69th Infantry Battalion led by 1st Lt. Vidi Tababa were traveling along the Davao-Bukidnon road on board a KM450 truck to attend a barangay peace and security meeting at Marilog District. It said Sayan overtook the military truck and was the one injured when the IED exploded.
Sayan was reported to have been immediately taken by the soldiers to Calinan district hospital. No soldier was injured in the blast, said the Army statement although the truck was hit by shrapnel from the IED which it said was “fashioned out as landmine.”
The Army statement put the blame on “local terrorists” or New People’s Army rebels led by Leoncio Pitao. Pitao, allegedly leader of the NPA’s 1st Pulang Bagani Company reportedly operates in the Southern Mindanao region which includes Davao City.
“These local terrorist clearly do not respect the International Humanitarian Law not even the provision stipulated under Ottawa Convention banning the use of these explosives by every civilized nation and all entities whether state or non state actors,” Maj. General Reynaldo B Mapagu, 10ID commanding general, was quoted to have said in the statement.
“This has been the 5th roadside IED attack in Davao City in less than three months and this criminal act was boasted by notorious local terrorist Leoncio Pitao in the past months stating their emplacements of IEDs fashioned out as “landmines” along roadnets to be exploded anytime,” Mapagu added in the statement.
The statement also said that a probe has been launched by Marilog police.
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