DAVAO CITY – The Army's 71st Infantry Battalion (71IB) condemned Thursday the communist’s New People's Army (NPA) for using improvised explosive devices (IEDs), which are prohibited under the Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law (CARHRIHL).
The condemnation came after 71IB troops recovered three IEDs in Brgy. Cabuyoan, Mabini town, Davao de Oro province, on September 20.
Each IED weighs around seven kilograms, enough to blow up a heavy vehicle or building once detonated, the 71IB said in a statement.
“The 'to-whom-it-may-concern' explosive was buried along a utility road which could kill a number of people within its fatal radius once triggered,” the Army unit said.
Aside from human rights violations, 71IB said the use of IED is also a violation of the Republic Act (RA) 9851, An Act Defining and Penalizing Crimes against Humanity especially on the Use of Weapons prohibited in Warfare such as Landmines.
Prohibited in the said act are "weapons, projectiles, materials, and methods of warfare which are of the nature to cause superfluous injury or unnecessary suffering.”
Lt. Col. Sonny Gonzales, 71IB commander, said the "NPA brazenly disregard the CARHRIHL and other related human rights laws by the continuous use of IED".
The 71IB recovered an IED together with two high-power firearms after an armed encounter in April.
The 71IB has operation jurisdiction of the municipalities of Mawab, Maco, Mabini, Pantukan, and four barangays of Nabunturan, all in Davao de Oro, including Tagum City in Davao del Norte.
The CPP-NPA is listed as a terrorist organization by the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the Philippines. (PNA)
Army condemns NPA's use of IEDs in Davao Oro
By Che Palicte
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