(UPDATE) 7 PSG personnel, 2 Army troops hurt in Marawi City IED blast
Local News • 20:52 PM Tue Nov 29, 2016
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By:
Ferdinandh Cabrera
COTABATO
CITY -- Seven members of Presidential Security Group (PSG) and two Army troopers were wounded
after a powerful improvised explosive devise hit the convoy of the elite
security group on its way to Marawi City early today.
Chief
Superintendent Agripino Javier said he received a report that around 10:30 this
morning a loud explosion believed to be from Improvised Explosive Device (IED)
was heard in Barangay Emie Punod, Marawi City.
They were
ambushed using an IED while traversing from Iligan City to Marawi City, he
said in a text message.
A convoy of KM
450 and KM250 miltiary marked vehicles was the target of the explosion. Of the seven wounded, one PSG personnel and a soldier, were in critical condition, according to report from Western Mindanao Command.Identities of
the victims were not immediately available.
Asked about
the incident, Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao Governor Mujiv Hataman said
he has no details yet on the attack. However, he added he has information that
President Duterte is scheduled to visit Army troops in Lanao del Sur who have
been fighting the forces of ISIS linked Maute local terrorist group.
In his speech,
Duterte hinted he wanted the military to neutralize Bravo, apparently referring
to Commander Bravo of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), who he said has
been into big time illegal drug trade in Lanao del Sur.
Army Col. Gene
Ponio, deputy brigade commander of the 103rd Brigade, said the victims were
part of the 50-man convoy that also included members of the Presidential
Broadcast Staff Radio-Television Malacañang (RTVM).
Two of the PSG
members were critical and were already airlifted by Philippine Airforce
helicopters to Cagayan de Oro City while the three are in a hospital in Marawi
City. (Ferdinand Cabrera)