MACALELON, Quezon?A student of the University of the Philippines-Los Baños and a colleague were killed in what the Army said was an encounter with suspected New People?s Army (NPA) rebels in Macalelon, Quezon, Saturday morning.

Relatives identified the UPLB student as Ian Maderazo, 26, a Agricultural Chemistry student. Maderazo was a former UPLB Student Council member and a member of the Pi Sigma Fraternity.

In the military report, he was identified only as ?Ka Danoy.?

The military identified the other casualty as Marlon Peñahermoso, reportedly a resident of Barangay Vista Hermosa, Macalelon.

The remains of the two were brought by the police to Funeraria Pagbilao in Lucena City for autopsy.

Lt. Col. Cornelio Valencia Jr., commander of the Army?s 76th Infantry Battalion based in the Bondoc Peninsula, said the military responded to a tip at about 10:30 a.m. on the presence of seven armed suspected communist guerrillas in Sitio Polo, Barangay Olongtao along the Miguel Suarez Highway.

According to Valencia, the battalion?s Bravo Company assisted by the Macalelon municipal police engaged the alleged rebels in a firefight that lasted about 10 minutes. The rebels scampered in different directions, leaving behind the two bodies.