Troops from the 29th Infantry Battalion were conducting a patrol when it encountered New People’s Army rebels in sitio (sub-village) Buhisan, San Agustin town, Army’s 4th Infantry Division officer-in-charge Brigadier General Ricardo Visaya said.
“While they were patrolling the area they saw several tents…the rebels had a dog. It barked and a fire fight erupted,” he told reporters by phone.
The area also turned out to be an NPA training camp, the Army added.
The soldiers maneuvered and tripped into a landmine that went off, which left three fatalities and one injury.
The fire fight with about 30 rebels lasted for about 30 minutes.
Casualties from the NPA side could not be determined because they always take their dead comrades with them, Visaya said.