LIANGA, Surigao del Sur, Philippines — Two military officers were killed in a landmine explosion in Bayugan, Agusan del Sur over the weekend.
First Lt. Tere Ingente, 4th Infantry Division information officer, identified the fatalities as First Lt. Rod Michael Aspiras and Sgt. Ruben Canoy.
Cpls. Rhuel Apura and Roceller Guirero and Private First Class Christian Levi Penus were wounded.
Ingente said New People’s Army (NPA) rebels detonated a landmine following a firefight with soldiers of the 36th Infantry Battalion in Sitio Bungkuan, Barangay San Juan.
Ariel Montero, spokesman for the NPA Northeastern Mindanao Regional Committee, said they detonated the landmine to send a message to President Duterte on his State of the Nation Address.