Davao City, Philippines — Karapatan Southern Mindanao reported that a child was killed in a strafing incident in Kidaraan, Mabini, Compostela Valley at 6 pm of April 3, allegedly committed by elements of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).
Some residents were also reportedly wounded in the incident and brought to the nearest hospital.
Karapatan said they have dispatched a Quick Reaction Team (QRT) today to get more details of the incident.
Davao Today tried to reach the AFP’s 10th Infantry Division Civil Military Operations chief Major Jake Obligado to get their side on the incident but Obligado has not replied yet.
A statement from the AFP signed by Lt. Vilma Mojado of the 1001st Brigade cited two encounters occurring in a row between the AFP and the New People’s Army (NPA) in Mabini, Compostela Valley late afternoon, Wednesday.
According to the AFP statement, one section of their troops was on a combat operation when hit by a landmine and subsequently fired upon by more or less 30 NPA members in Sitio Darot, Barangay Libudon, in Mabini Compostela Valley at 4:30 pm, Wednesday.
The incident, the AFP statement added, triggered a firefight in an “uninhabited ridgeline” that lasted for an hour which killed one of their troops, and wounded two others.
Another encounter transpired after this in Sitio Kidaraan, Barangay Anipatan of the same town at around 6:40 pm, according to the AFP statement.
The statement cited Lieutenant Col. Jerry Borja of the 71st Infantry Battalion saying his troops were on the area to act upon reports on the presence of NPA.
The same AFP statement cited civilians reportedly seeing withdrawing NPAs carrying five of their casualties in makeshift stretchers. (davaotoday.com)
