2 soldiers hurt in clash with NPA in Quezon

INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

LUCENA CITY — Two Philippine Army soldiers were wounded in an encounter Monday with suspected New People’s Army (NPA) rebels in Calauag town in Quezon province.

The Region 4A police identified the wounded troops in an initial report on Tuesday, March 26, as Sergeant Gilbert Esteban, 33, and Corporal Anthony Quierre, 31, who were both hit by shrapnel from an improvised explosive device set up by NPA rebels.

They were taken to the nearest hospital for treatment.

The report said a unit from the Army’s 85th Infantry Battalion was conducting a patrol around 6 p.m. when they encountered NPA rebels in Barangay Doña Aurora.The report did not provide added details on the encounter except that no residents were affected during the clash.

READ: Quezon’s ‘Red-free’ status spoiled by NPA ambush

Government checkpoints have been established in strategic areas to support the ongoing pursuit operations against the NPA rebels on the run.

The government forces are also monitoring hospitals and clinics near the area to search for the wounded alleged NPA rebels.

Calauag is located in the province’s 4th district on the boundary of Bicol region.

In June last year, Quezon was declared free from the influence of communist insurgents after it attained “Stable Internal Peace and Security” or SIPS status, which means that the Communist Party of the Philippines, the National Democratic Front of the Philippines, and the NPA are no longer a threat to the peace and order in its localities.

However, authorities admitted that the NPA may still have remnants in the province.