CITY OF CALAPAN—A fighter of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) was killed, while a policeman was wounded on Sunday, July 3, during a 20-minute armed encounter in Roxas town, Oriental Mindoro province, according to the Mimaropa police.
The Oriental Mindoro 2nd Provincial Mobile Force Company were conducting a combat operation with 4th Infantry Battalion troops when at about 1 p.m., they chanced upon 10 communist rebels in Barangay San Vicente, police said.
Captain Clyde Kalyawen, chief of the Regional Information Office, said the slain NPA rebel was still unidentified while the unnamed wounded policeman was in stable condition.
Police said they recovered firearms, ammunition, a hand grenade, and other deadly weapons from the clash site.
The Regional Mobile Force Battalion and the Philippine National Police Special Action Force were conducting pursuit operations.
Since January, Mimaropa police have reported 83 rebel surrenderers, said Brigadier General Sidney Sultan Hernia, regional chief of police, in a conversation Monday with stakeholders in this city.