A MEMBER of the Far Eastern University football team and his uncle were killed while a minor was injured when an improvised explosive device allegedly planted by New People’s Army rebels exploded in Masbate City yesterday morning.
Maj. Ma. Luisa Calubaquib, spokeswoman of the Bicol regional police office, said the bomb exploded after the victims accidentally ran into it while biking in Purok 4 in Barangay Anas at around 6:45 a.m.
The blast resulted in the death of Kieth Absalon, 21, of the FEU-Diliman Tamaraws, and his uncle, Nolven Absalon.
It also injured 16-year-old Chrysvine Daniel Absalon, either a son of Nolven or a cousin of Kieth, who is confined at the Masbate Provincial Hospital.
“It’s an accident, they ran into the IED recklessly planted (by NPA rebels). Their target are probably the uniformed personnel,” said Calubaquib, referring to soldiers and policemen.
“No other group would do this but the NPA,” Calubaquib said, adding they have deployed additional forces in Masbate City to help in pursuit operation against the suspects.
At around 11:30 a.m., pursuing policemen and soldiers caught up with the rebels in Barangay Mapiña, said Calubaquib. The resulting firefight resulted in the recovery of several IEDs and bomb components.
In Quezon, NPA rebels ambushed a convoy of soldiers and policemen coming from a gift-giving activity in Buenavista town in Quezon on Saturday, leaving a militiaman dead and another injured.
Maj. Kim Evangelista, spokesman of the Army’s 2nd Infantry Division based in Rizal, said the troops were on their way to their base when they were waylaid on a provincial road in Barangay Bagong Silang.
Evangelista said the ambushers were composed of about seven men, under one Philip Enteria, alias Cyrus.
Evangelista said the soldiers and policemen have just finished distributing gifts in Barangay Del Rosario, also in Buenavista, when they were attacked by the insurgents.
The attack led to the death of a Cafgu active auxiliary member, assigned with the Army’s 85th Infantry Battalion, and injury to another militiaman who is now in stable condition at a hospital.
The military is still checking if there were casualties on the side of the rebels who fled after a firefight.
