By Francis Wakefield A government soldier was killed while two others were wounded following a vehicle ambush with landmine attack by Communist New People's Army Terrorists (CNTs) in Lopez, Quezon on Monday. Cpl. Nilo R. Julian was declared dead on arrival (DOA) when brought to St. Jude Hospital, while Sgt. Victor Bartocillo and Pfc Jonathan Baylar suffered wounds from the Improvised Explosive Device (IED) emplaced by the NPA terrorists. The wounded troops are now in stable condition. According to Col. Elias H. Escarcha, commander of the Army's 201st Infantry Brigade, the military truck was about to fetch the troops who came from a community civic action when they were met by a sudden IED explosion along the road at Barangay Silang, Lopez town at about 8:37 p.m. yesterday. The exchange of fire ensued for about 30 minutes until reinforcement came. Further, he said another firefight happened when the reinforcing troops met the withdrawing enemies along Barangay Cogorin of the same municipality at about 9:10 p.m. No one was hurt from the troops during the second clash while there are undetermined number of casualties on the scampering enemies based on the traces of bloodstains. Meanwhile, in her Facebook post, Ka Cleo del Mundo of Apolonio Mendoza Command-NPA-Quezon claimed responsibility for the attack. According to her, their tactical offensives were in defense of the rural areas, which she said were under the rebel’s territorial jurisdiction. “These include San Francisco B, San Miguel Dao, Veronica and Jongo in Lopez; Cauayan in Gumaca and Bulagsong in Catanauan," she said. Army 2nd ID commander Maj.Gen. Rhoderick M. Parayno condemned the NPA atrocities. He said the NPA’s utilization of IEDs is a clear violation of Republic Act 9851, an act penalizing crimes against International Humanitarian Law. He also added that there is no provision in the constitution that grants the NPAs jurisdiction over a portion of Philippine territory. “The national territory belongs to the people, and the government as the people’s legitimate representative has the sole authority over it," he said. According to him, the presence of the soldiers in the barangays is to conduct Community Support Program (CSP) to sustain the delivery of the basic services of the government to the people. It is a multisector endeavor of the local government units (LGUs), the AFP, PNP, nongovernment organizations (NGOs) and other stakeholders to uplift the living condition of the people in the remote villages. Further, the 2!D commander extended his condolences to the bereaved family. "Rest assured that his heroism and sacrifices will not be in vain. We will pursue them," he said. One unexploded IED, detonating cords and enemy personal belongings were recovered at the ambush site. PNP Scene of the Crime Operatives (SOCO) were already at the crime scene to investigate. Pursuit operations are ongoing against the communist terrorists.