7 soldiers wounded in Laak ambush

COMPOSTELA VALLEY, July 16 (PIA) – Seven soldiers were wounded in different attacks by the New People’s Army (NPA) in the municipality of Laak on Monday (July 14).

Happened on almost the same time at around 8:20 - 8:25 in the evening in Laak, the NPA fired a section of the 46^th Infantry Battalion in Barangay Inakayan and blasted using a landmine troops of the 25^thInfantry Battalion in Barangay Ampawid while on their way to headquarters in Poblacion.

The incidents wounded Pfc Flores Rotela and Pfc Alvin Consigna of the 46^th Infantry Brigade; and 1LT Benjie Jimenez, Cpl Joveny Tablason, Pfc Julius Palma, Pfc Volter Cabrestante and Pfc Rey Asoy of the 25^th Infantry Battalion.

The soldiers were treated at the Laak Hospital except for 1LT Jimenez, who were transferred to Tagum Doctors Hospital because of a facial wound.

Aside from these, the NPA also landmined the 46^th Infantry Battalion in Barangay La Filipina while transporting construction materials going to the headquarters in Barangay San Agustine (both located in Tagum City, Davao del Norte).  The explosion only damaged the vehicle but no soldiers died nor injured.

In a text message, Capt. Ernest Carolina of the public affairs division of the 10^th Infantry Division said that the NPA have been doing the simultaneous attacks to project that they have the strength again.

“At this point, they know it is not possible for them to advance their struggle towards what they call a strategic stalemate, but they also know that their future recruitment is heavily dependent upon how they project the possibility of winning,” Capt. Carolina said.

He revealed that based on the army’s data from more than a thousand former rebels, the average stay of newly recruits in the NPA is down to one year.

He added that with this data and with the recent arrests of the NPA’s leaders exposing how they enjoy the wealth from extortion activities and the viral video of NPA dying in a failed attacked were the reasons why they have to show their strengths again through violent activities targeting easier targets such as those in administrative duties and transits, unarmed soldiers and even civilians. (PIA11, Michael L Uy)

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