The Department of National Defense (DND) condemned the landmine explosion in Northern Samar which injured seven members of the Philippine Army on Tuesday.

"The Department of National Defense strongly condemns the landmine blast perpetrated by the communist terrorist group (CTG) against our troops conducting immersion and clearing operations in Mapanas, Northern Samar. The blast resulted in the injuries of seven of our men from the 20th Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army," DND Officer-In-Charge Jose Faustino Jr. said in a statement on Wednesday.

"This is a very isolated case and a clear violation of the International Humanitarian Law, more specifically, an incontrovertible violation of the Ottawa Convention, which bans and condemns the use of landmines," he said.

"Under the wisdom and guidance of His Excellency President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr., we shall continue to strengthen our efforts under the NTF-ELCAC ( National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict), which is fully functional and highly effective in delivering essential services to our communities nationwide, especially those in geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas," he added.

Faustino noted that the defense department "will relentlessly support the whole-of-nation approach to the government’s counter-insurgency operations to address the root causes of the insurgency, and finally end the scourge wrought by these terrorists on the Filipino people."

It can be recalled that two of the seven soldiers wounded during the explosion in Northern Samar are in critical condition.

The four anti personnel mines that exploded during the incident were allegedly laid and detonated by the members of the New People's Army (NPA).

Maj. Gen. Edgardo De Leon, commander of the 8th Infantry Division, said the government troops were on foot while conducting a clearing operation as part of the community service activity of the Philippine Army when the explosion occurred in the vicinity of Barangay Magsaysay, Mapanas, Northern Samar around 6:15 am. Robina Asido/DMS