LUCENA CITY, Philippines –Two New People’s Army amazons were killed in an encounter with Army soldiers in Lopez, Quezon on Sunday morning, an Army official said.
Colonel Eduardo Año, head of the Army’s 201st Infantry Brigade, said a group of soldiers were in Sitio (sub-village) Delmark in Barangay Sta. Catalina when engaged a band of estimated 11 communist guerillas at around 7:50 a.m.
Año said the firefight lasted for 10 minutes after which the NPA rebels retreated in different directions, leaving behind the bodies of their slain female comrades, who have yet to be identified.
Government forces suffered no casualties, he said. The Army soldiers recovered 1 M16 rifle and 1 Baby Armalite at the site of the encounter.
Año said concerned villagers informed the military on the presence of the communist guerillas.
“The people have been feeding us valuable information. Most of them through text messages while there are others who bravely go directly to us,” the official said over the phone.
Last week, four NPA rebels were also killed in Lopez town in another encounter with government forces. The presence of communist guerillas was also tipped off to the military by local residents.
“The military is intensifying its efforts to get rid of NPA rebels in Quezon before the end of 2012,” Año added.