4 soldiers wounded in clash with NPA rebels in Agusan del Sur

TAGUM CITY, Philippines—Four soldiers were wounded following a series of clashes with the New People’s Army rebels in Trento, Agusan del Sur, on Monday, military and police officials said.

Colonel Roberto Domines Jr., commander of the army’s 1001st Infantry Brigade, said troops from the 25th Infantry Battalion engaged an undetermined number of NPA guerrillas in the forested boundary of Agusan del Sur and Compostela Valley provinces.

The clashes happened between 9 a.m. and past noon in the vicinity of Upper New Visayas village, in Trento, according to Chief Superintendent Reynaldo Rafal, Caraga police chief.

Rafal said in a text message to the Inquirer that a platoon from the 25th IB’S Charlie Company chanced upon some 30 armed men from the NPA’s Guerrilla Front 20 at Sitio (subvillage) 33, Upper New Visayas, triggering an hourlong gun battle that left four soldiers wounded and an undetermined number of casualties on the NPA side.

The police official said the army’s blocking force also engaged another group of NPA rebels past 12 noon, also in Upper New Visayas.

Soldiers recovered at the encounter sites three improvised landmines, a hand grenade and some personal belongings believed left by the fleeing rebels, said Rafal.

Domines said the wounded troops were now undergoing treatment at the Eastern Mindanao Command hospital in Davao City as pursuit operations against the fleeing rebels continued.