NPA land mine kills 2 soldiers in South Cotabato 

COTABATO CITY – Two Army soldiers were killed and 11 others were wounded when a land mine exploded in Barangay Danlag, Tampakan, South Cotabato Sunday, officials said.

 

Lt. Col Ronald Jess Alcudia, 27th Infantry Battalion commander, confirmed the land mine blast.

 

"Two Army troopers of 27th IB, 10th ID, paid the ultimate sacrifice while performing their duties as vanguards of peace," Alcudia told local radio DXOM-AM Radyo Bida Koronadal.

He refused to name the fallen men until their next of kin are fully and officially informed.

 

He rushed to the South Cotabato provincial hospital where his wounded men were rushed after the early afternoon blast.

 

He told Radyo Bida Koronadal on Sunday night that 27th IB was responding to reports of a land mine planted by still unidentified men at Campo 2, Barangay Danlag, Tampakan.

 

There was a powerful blast as the soldiers were approaching the village in an Army vehicle.

 

Other soldiers from the 27th IB based in Tupi, South Cotabato responded quickly, and rescued wounded comrades and rushed them to two hospitals in Koronadal City.

 

Alcudia believes the land mine attack by the NPAs is related to harassment it carried out on Saturday against militiamen in Barangay Datalbiao that left Citizen Armed Force Geographical Unit member Mark Lozada dead.

 

Militia members managed to repulse the NPA attack on the CAFGU outpost. — Ferdinandh Cabrera/JDS, GMA News