BY JOHN RIZLE L. SALIGUMBA
Davao Today
Zamboanga City – Five Philippine Red Cross volunteers were injured here Friday in an exploding shell believed fired from a rifle, in a new twist in the stand-down between government security forces and armed followers of the Moro National Liberation Front.
The victims were part of the Red Cross emergency unit that stationed itself at the Zamboanga City Medical Center as government forces ringed around the five barangays of this city where the MNLF forces were believed holed up with their hostaged residents.
Two explosions happened within minutes of each other at 5:15 pm outside the hospital in Lustre Street, near Barangay Santa Catalina, one of the five villages and where some 300 Army and police personnel were mounting an assault to dislodge MNLF snipers and defenders.
Journalists covering the supposed military assault preparation said they saw smoke coming out shortly after the explosion near the gate of the hospital and where the Red Cross volunteers were posted. They said they saw a wounded female victim being treated with first aid at her back by other volunteers.
Initial reports from police and the military said the number of wounded Red Cross volunteers were five but the exact number could not be ascertained as journalists scampered for safety.
The explosion happened 15 minutes after the first explosion also hit an armored personnel tank. The impact of the explosion on the tank could not be also determined as security forces cordoned the area.
Earlier, fire fighters were seen around the area as a fire was also seen raging for several hours although fire fighters refrained from going into the place of incident for fear of their safety. (John Rizle L. Saligumba,davaotoday.com)
Mindanao, mnlf, Red Cross, zambo, Zamboanga conflict
