Soldier wounded in clash with NPA rebels in Northern Samar

CATARMAN, Northern Samar—A soldier was wounded in an encounter between government troops and communist rebels in Las Navas town, Northern Samar on Friday morning.

The soldier, identified only as Private First Class Capunong, was given first aid treatment in the camp before he was airlifted to a hospital.

This was the second attack by the New People’s Army (NPA) in the province in a span of two days.

On Thursday, a band of communist rebels attacked an army detachment in Silvino Lobos town and wounded a mother and her three young children who lived nearby.

According to Major Almirante Mijares, civil military operations chief of the 803rd infantry brigade, the encounter happened around 11:15 a.m. on Friday at the boundaries of Barangays Osmeña, Lakandula and Cuenco in Las Navas town, some 80 km from the capital town in Catarman.

READ: 4 civilians hurt as NPA rebels raid gov’t post in N.Samar

Two platoons composed of 37 soldiers from the 8th Infantry Division Reconnaissance Company (8IDRC) led by First Lt. Edison Mata Jr. were conducting pursuit operations in the area when they found some blooded bandages along the way.

Minutes later the government troops discovered an NPA camp that could accommodate 50 persons according to the military report.

A 50-minute firefight ensued after which the rebels retreated to different directions.

The soldiers recovered from the NPA camp 1 Garand rifle with scope and 1 Harris handheld radio.

The military claimed that civilians living in the village reported that they saw retreating NPA rebels carrying three dead comrades and five others who were wounded.