LUCENA CITY – A soldier was killed while two other troopers were wounded after landmine planted by suspected New People’s Army rebels in Lopez town in Quezon province exploded Monday night. The blast was then followed by an attack by an undetermined number of rebels which triggered an exchange of fire. Killed during the one-hour gun battle was Private First Class Nilo Julian while the wounded were identified as Sgt. He said the military’s explosive ordnance disposal team has yet to finish its investigation if the landmine was command detonated or contact detonated. The rebels claimed that the use of “command-detonated landmines” as opposed to “contact-detonated” ones, was not a violation of the mine ban treaty.

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer June 05, 2018 01:52 UTC