Rebel land mine wounds 7 soldiers in central Philippines

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — A Philippine army general says a land mine set by communist guerrillas has wounded seven soldiers in the central Philippines, in one of the insurgents’ first known attacks since President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. took office last week. An army commander says troops were checking reports of anti-personnel mines laid by New People’s Army rebels along a village trail in Northern Samar province when an explosion wounded the seven soldiers. Two are in critical condition. Marcos Jr. faces decades-long communist and Muslim insurgencies and longstanding territorial disputes with China and other claimants in the South China Sea.