TACLOBAN CITY –– A soldier was killed in an encounter with alleged members of the New People’s Army (NPA) in Las Navas town, Northern Samar on Tuesday morning.
The fatality was identified as Private Gabriel Pacal, whose group engaged the rebels in a 10-minute firefight in Barangay San Francisco.
Government troops immediately pursued the rebels.
The Philippine Army in the region, headed by Major Gen. Pio Diñoso III, has identified Las Navas as having an active presence of insurgents.
Last Nov. 11, six soldiers were killed, and 24 others were wounded when NPA rebels ambushed them in Borongan City.
In a statement, the Efren Martires Command called on all NPA units in Eastern Visayas to “widen and intensify” their offensives against the government troops.