Two people found dead in Masbate City, among these individuals were the Far Eastern University’s (FEU) football team player and his cousin. It appears that the victims suffered injuries and death from an anti-personnel land mine (APM) device. These blasting devices are usually planted by the New People’s Army NPA rebels.
From the Police Regional Office 5’s spokesperson, Major Malu Calubaquib, the Purok 4, Barangay Anas incidents APM victims are Nolven Absalon, 40, and FEU varsity football player Keith Absalon, 21. Both did not survive the blast.
16-year-old Chrisbin Daniel Absalon, Nolven Absalon’s son, acquired injuries and is given treatment and medical assistance at the Masbate Provincial Hospital.
The presumed APM exploded while the victims were traveling on a bicycle. Currently, the Masbate City Police station did obtain information from local citizens regarding the explosion.
Police Regional Office-5 director’s Brig. Gen. Jonnel Estomo orders the deployment for the necessity of an additional police team on the location.
Calubaquib adds,
“All adjacent police stations were directed to conduct checkpoints.”
PRO-5 decries the NPA’s attack on the innocent victims.
“Ang insidenteng ito ay isa namang malinaw na patunay sa makasariling pilosopiya ng mga NPA, karahasang walang pinipiling tao, lugar o edad. Ang PNP Bicol ay kaisa ng bawat pamilyang Bicolano upang tuldukan ang limang dekadang pananakot at pagkitil sa mga buhay ng mga inosenteng mamamayan.”
“This incident is another proof that the NPA only thinks about its interests. Their violent acts spare no one. PNP Bicol is one with the entire region in the bid to end five decades of instilling fear and killing innocent lives),” as stated by Estomo.
