COTABATO CITY – The provincial government of North Cotabato on Friday extended financial assistance to the families of six soldiers hit by a recent roadside blast set off by communist rebels in Magpet town.
One of the soldiers later died due to severe shrapnel injuries.
North Cotabato Governor Emmylou Mendoza said the bereaved family of Corporal Ronnie Gutierrez of the 19th Infantry Battalion (IB) received Php10,000 in cash assistance from the provincial government while the five other soldiers, who survived their injuries, got Php5,000 each.
The six soldiers, including an Army lieutenant, were hurt when communist New Peoples Army (NPA) rebels set off a roadside bomb last June 21 in Purok 1, Barangay Doles, Magpet. They were heading back to the North Cotabato provincial capitol onboard a military truck, after assisting the provincial medical team during a medical and dental mission in Barangay Binay, also in Magpet, when attacked.
Though wounded in the bomb blast, the soldiers engaged the rebels in a firefight. The rebels later withdrew to a forested section of Binay village.
Injured were 2nd Lt. Rustine Barco, Corporals Gutierrez, Roldan Parcon and Shanon Obaldo; and Privates First Class Rolando Bublao and Dennis Andol.
Gutierrez later expired.
Mendoza, who condemned the NPA attack, said that despite the incident, the provincial government will continue to bring health services to poor communities in the province. (PNA)
