2 SOLDIERS DIE AS BIFF REBELS AMBUSH MILITARY CONVOY

By: Jaime Sinapit, InterAksyon.com

An explosion from an improvised explosive device (IED) suspected to be detonated by the lawless Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) on Monday morning barely missed a ranking Army officer but killed two of his escorts, even as four others were wounded in a two-vehicle convoy at Barangay Meta, Datu Unsay, Maguindanao.

A sketchy initial report reaching Armed Forces of the Philippines General Headquarters in Camp Emilio Aguinaldo in Quezon City indicated that the blast hit the convoy of a Toyota Hilux pickup and a KM450 truck at Meta Bridge around 10:50 a.m.

The report said two soldiers were killed on the spot and four others were rushed to hospital for medical treatment.

The casualties were all said to be members of the 1st Mechanized Infantry Brigade.

The Brigade’s commander, Colonel Gener del Rosario, was on board the Hilux pickup when the bomb exploded.

All the casualties were from the military truck that was just 7 meters behind the Hilux.

The military truck was being driven by a certain Sergeant Valenzuela. It was not clear if he was among the casualties.

Col. Del Rosario’s convoy left brigade headquarters in Shariff Aguak town and were on their way to Awang, Datu Odin Sinsuat.