NPA rebels kill Army soldier in Northern Samar

CATARMAN, Northern Samar—An Army soldier was allegedly killed by snipers of the communist rebels while on duty in a remote village in Lope De Vega town, Northern Samar, on Sunday afternoon.

The fatality was identified as Sgt. Gilbert Toledo of the Philippine Army’s 82nd Division Reconnaissance Company.

According to Col. Mario Lacurom, 803rd Brigade commander, Toledo and his team were conducting election security operations in Barangay (village) Roxas, Lope De Vega town around 2:30 p.m. on Sunday when three members of the New People’s Army (NPA) fired at them.

Toledo, who was the platoon sergeant at that time, was hit in the back and died on the spot.

The snipers were positioned just 50 meters away from where the soldiers were stationed, the Army reports said.

The rebels  withdrew to the southeast direction after the incident.

The attack came a day after Private First Class Louiden Quebec, 20, was killed and his companion Private Michael Cagata, 27, and three civilians were wounded in a land mine explosion during an ambush staged by the NPA in Gamay town, Northern Samar on Saturday. RAM/rga

READ: Soldier on Comelec duty killed by NPA rebels