Soldier wounded in clash with rebels in Catanduanes

NAGA CITY–A soldier was wounded after government troopers briefly clashed with 10 suspected New People’s Army rebels in San Andres town in Catanduanes Tuesday morning, an Army official said.

Maj. Angelo Guzman, spokesman of the 9th Infantry Division, said the clash broke out in Barangay Hilaw-an around 9:45 a.m. and lasted five minutes.

He said Private First Class Christopher Briguela of the Division Reconnaissance Company, then on patrol, was hit by a bullet below his right knee.

Guzman said the government troopers recovered an M16 rifle with magazine and a backpack containing “antigovernment documents.”