I Love Pinoys

Police said the death took place as military dispatched gunships to several towns in Masbate to drive away the rebels ahead of President Arroyo’s visit Tuesday.

The presence of guerillas was reported in Uson and Mobo towns.

Police said a member of the Philippine Army’s 9th Infantry Division died while another one was wounded in an ongoing firefight that started as early as 8 a.m.

Meanwhile, reports said an undertemined number of guerillas ambushed Army troopers in Barangay Bagacay in Mobo town at 7:45 a.m.

The Army said there was no reported casualty in the ambush. It said the ambushed Army troopers were able to return fire and drive away the rebels.

A radio dzMM report said Mrs. Arroyo’s entourage has been advised by the police to avoid traveling by land around the province.

Before the mopping up, an explosion rocked Barangay Ban-ao in Placer town around 3 a.m. No one was hurt in the blast.

Police Officer 3 Romulo Balolo of the Placer police station said he recovered a detonating wire and shrapnel along the road that is 3.5 kilometers away from the town center. Police also recovered several cigarette butts and coffee cups, an indication that those who detonated the bomb had been in the area for quite a while.

Balolo said the explosion possibly targeted government forces coming in and out of the sleepy town to secure the visiting government officials.
He believes the explosion was the handiwork of communist rebels.

Placer is a fourth-class municipality and is one of the poorest towns in the province of Masbate. It is the first time in its history that the President is coming here for a visit.

The President is on a whirlwind trip of provinces in the country to check on the progress of her projects ahead of the coming State of the Nation Address.

After Masbate, the President is expected to drop by Romblon and stay for a few hours on board the BRP Ang Pangulo. Prior to her Masbate trip, the President greeted passengers of the inaugural PAL Express flight to Calbayog City in Eastern Samar. With RG Cruz, ABS-CBN News and Noel Alamar, dzMM