MANILA, Philippines -- Two soldiers were wounded in an encounter with communist rebels in Tarlac province, a military spokesperson said Friday.

Troops from the 1st Light Reaction Company and a platoon from Bravo Company of the 3rd Infantry Battalion clashed for 15 minutes with some 40 New People’s Army guerrillas in Sitio (sub-village) Gamayan, Barangay (Village) Anupol, Bamban, Tarlac at 8:10 a.m. Friday, said Brigadier General Arturo Ortiz, chief of the Special Operations Command.

The wounded soldiers, identified as Corporal Domingo and Sergeant Caballero, were flown to the Northern Luzon Command hospital in Camp Heneral Servillano Aquino, Tarlac, Ortiz said.

Recovered from the site of the encounter were three M16 rifles and two back packs containing subversive documents, Ortiz said.