A soldier suffered injuries on Sunday, May 30, after suspected members of the New People's Army (NPA) ambushed a military truck bound to Banaybanay, Davao Oriental.
The ambush happened along the national highway in Mati City, Davao Oriental.
Maj. Jerry Lamosao, chief of the 10 Infantry Division Public Affairs Office, said that the injured soldier has been brought to the Davao Oriental Provincial Hospital, and his condition has stabilized.
Mati City mayor Michelle Nakpil Rabat condemned the incident, which she called an 'atrocious act by lawless armed group'.
"For almost two hours, traffic was halted along the main thoroughfare which serves as the only road for our farmers to bring their products to our markets. For two hours, many livelihood were affected," Rabat said in a statement.
"This brings to light the fact that armed struggle is not the way to bring peace and development to our city, to our people," the local chief executive added.
Rabat assured that the city government will do its best to counter the possible adverse effects that the incident may bring to the economy of Mati.
She further assured that the police and the military, with the support of the local government, will work to prevent any similar incident from happening again.
"The police are still investigating the incident and we will wait for the official result of their probe. This is an isolated incident brought about by some circumstances beyond our control," Rabat stressed.
Lamosao said that 66th Infantry Battalion has deployed additional troops to hunt down the suspected communist rebels, who fled following the ambush.
