Militants from the communist New People's Army (NPA) issued an apology in connection with a March 2 ambush that resulted in several civilians being injured in Davao del Sur.Rigoberto Sanchez, spokesman for the Southern Mindanao Regional Command of the New People's Army (NPA) "expressed deep regret" for the ambush of an ambulance in Bansalan town. He said, "We take responsibility for this act as we take cognizance of the fact that the medical staff and mobile medical units should not have been made target of any attack and whose protection and/or safety is guaranteed under the international humanitarian law."
Reports from both the rebels and the Philippine military said the ambulance had been sent to pick up and provide immediate medical assistance to soldiers ambushed by the militants earlier in the same area.
Sanchez said, "Operatives tasked to discharge the command detonated explosives failed to distinguish the ambulance from its target, the two military trucks. The ambulance was inconspicuous in as far as it did not discharge its siren."
For its part, the Armed Forces of the Philippines said it will file a case against the NPA commander who ordered the ambush.