2 suspected NPA rebels killed in Samar clash

TACLOBAN CITY — Two suspected New People’s Army (NPA) rebels were killed in an encounter with government troops in Samar on Friday morning, according to the Philippine Army.

The Army’s 8th Infantry Division, based in Catbalogan City, said troops from the 46th Infantry Battalion engaged remnants of the Yakal Platoon under the Eastern Visayas Regional Party Committee in a seven-minute firefight in the hinterlands of Barangay Caulayanan, Motiong, Samar, at around 7:25 a.m.

After the clash, soldiers recovered an M14 rifle and a caliber .45 pistol. The bodies of two unidentified individuals, believed to be members of the armed group, were found at the scene.

The 8th Infantry Division said the encounter reflects continuing operations in Eastern Visayas aimed at weakening insurgent forces linked to the Communist Party of the Philippines and its armed wing.

While Samar has long been a center of guerrilla activity, military officials have reported a decline in rebel strength in recent years.

The Army described the latest clash as a setback for the group, citing the loss of personnel and weapons, and noted that recent encounters suggest insurgents are now limited to brief, sporadic engagements while evading government troops.

The military also renewed its call for remaining rebels to surrender and avail themselves of the government’s Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-CLIP), which provides financial aid, livelihood assistance, and reintegration support.

Operations are ongoing as troops pursue fleeing members of the group and seek to prevent further security threats in the area. /gsg