The soldiers were on combat patrol in Sitio (sub-village) Alindayag, T. Elizaga village in Gattaran town when it clashed with the New People’s Army rebels led by Rolando Ibis alias Person at about 6:45 a.m., Colonel Loreto Magundayao of the Army 5th Infantry Division said in a statement.
The encounter lasted for about an hour and the rebels fled in different directions.
Initial reports based on the account of the villagers said that the rebels were allegedly conducting extortion and early campaigning activities.
But Magundayao told INQUIRER.net that they have yet to confirm who the rebels were campaigning for.
Pursuit operations have been launched, he added.