By Jennifer P. Rendon
A soldier was slightly injured after an improvised explosive device (IED) hit their military truck early morning of July 3, 2020 in Hamtic, Antique.
Lieutenant Colonel Joel Benedict Batara, Philippine Army’s 61st Infantry Battalion commander, withheld the soldier’s name but claimed the latter only suffered a minor shrapnel injury on the forehead.
The soldiers on board two military trucks were passing through Barangay Igbucagay, Hamtic, around 12:10 a.m. of Friday when the explosion occurred.
The soldiers came from Camp Fullon in San Jose, Antique and were halfway to Barangay Tiolas, San Joaquin, Iloilo to augment the border control point in the area.
Batara said the “hanging” IED did not cause any serious damage to the vehicle.
“It appeared that the splinter of the IED was the one that hit our soldier,” he said.
Gunfire was heard for about two minutes after the blast.
But Batara said the suspects had no intention to engage them.
“The fires came from about 3 or 4 firearms only. When our personnel retaliated, they retreated,” Batara said.
The 61st IB commander perceived that it was just plain harassment by suspected New People’s Army members.
The harassment might be related to an encounter between NPA members and 61st IB soldiers on June 29 at Sitio Lay, Barangay Dalije Miagao, Iloilo.
The incident resulted in the death of an unidentified rebel.
Batara said the 61st IB troops encountered around 30 rebes from the NPA’s Suyak (SDG) Platoon of the Southern Front – Komiteng Rehiyon Panay.
Prior to that, Batara confirmed to have received several reports of sightings in some parts of Antique and the southern towns of Iloilo.
