1 soldier hurt in clash with rebels in Samar; NPA camp seized

Photo taken from google maps

MANILA, Philippines—A camp of the communist New People’s Army in Samar was seized Monday by government forces, the military said.

Captain Gene Orense, spokesman of the Army’s 8th Infantry Division, said the camp in the hinterlands of Del Rosario village in Matuguinao town was populated by 45 rebels and had makeshift beds and a kitchen.

Later in the same day, Army troops from the 63rd Infantry Battalion clashed with an undetermined number of rebels in Rizal village in the same town, leaving one soldier— Private First Class Elwin Bert Paller—injured in the 10-minute firefight.

Last week, the military also seized an enemy encampment after 30 minutes of firefight with rebels in Inubod village, also in Matuguinao town.

The enemy camp was composed of 30 makeshift beds, advance posts, a kitchen, hall and toilet. It could accommodate around 30 rebels, Orense said.