Abu Sayyaf bombs hurt 5 soldiers in Basilan

Five soldiers were injured Monday in two separate bomb attacks blamed on Abu Sayyaf bandits in Basilan province in southern Philippines, a military official said Tuesday. Army spokesman Col. Antonio Parlade said the five — S/Sgt. Dennis Espanola, Pfc. Louie Orina, Pfc. Jonard Olivar, Pfc. Al James Retubado and Pfc. Joelbert Buna — only suffered minor injuries and are now safe. He said the first bomb exploded when patrolling members of the 13th Scout Ranger Company tripped the explosive device at the vicinity of Baiwas village in Sumisip town at around 8:40 a.m. Espanola, Orina and Olivar were the ones hurt in the first incident. The second incident occurred seven hours later against elements of the 11th Scout Ranger Company who were conducting patrol operations at Bohe Piyat village. “We were tracking the remnants of the bandit group towards the southern portion of Mt Abong-abong when [one] soldier tripped a wire, triggering an explosion," said Parlade. A Huey helicopter, escorted by two MG-520 attack helicopters, picked up the injured soldiers who are now confined at a hospital inside Camp Navarro, home of the Armed Forces’ Western Mindanao Command in Zamboanga City. “The soldiers belonging to the Special Operations Command of the Philippine Army [are] continuously pursuing a small group of [Abu Sayyaf] bandits which is responsible for the series of kidnappings in this tiny island province in Southern Mindanao," said Parlade. Army chief Lt. Gen. Arturo Ortiz has already ordered “massive combat operations" to hunt the remaining Abu Sayyaf members “while simultaneously conducting ‘mass-base operations’ as part of the Army’s winning the hearts and minds of the people," Parlade said. — KBK, GMA News