LUCENA CITY, Quezon, Philippines—Three suspected New People’s Army rebels were killed in an encounter with government troops in Mauban, Quezon on Wednesday evening.
Major Angelo Guzman, spokesman of the Armed Forces Southern Luzon Command (Solcom) based in Camp Nakar in this city, said the clash happened around 7 p.m. in the remote village of Liwayway.
“There was a body count,” Guzman told the Philippine Daily Inquirer through a Facebook message on Thursday.
He said he was still waiting for further information on the gender and identities of the casualties and the exact location of the bodies.
Quoting an initial report from Lieutenant Colonel Simeon Talosig, commander of the 85th Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army operating in the area, Guzman said the soldiers were on patrol when they chanced upon an undetermined number of rebels.
The firefight lasted for 30 minutes, after which the rebels escaped in different directions leaving behind their dead comrades.
The soldiers also recovered three M16 rifles, one M653 baby armalite and an M79 grenade launcher, the report said.
No one was hurt among the government troopers, said Guzman.
The soldiers with K9 tracking dogs immediately launched hot pursuit operation against the escaping rebels. Policemen have also set up checkpoints in strategic areas, he said.
In a statement, Lieutenant General Ricardo Visaya, Solcom commander, said soldiers in Southern Tagalog and Bicol regions have increased the pace of military operations against communist rebels.
“This is an extra step towards a more peaceful region. We will always remain on guard for the safety and protection the people,” he said.
According to Guzman, the provinces of Quezon, Sorsogon, Masbate, Oriental Mindoro and Occidental Mindoro remain as the “focus areas”ť of Solcom’s counter-insurgency operations.
Guzman said Rizal province, once an NPA stronghold, has been declared on Monday as a “conflict manageable” area.