Clash between soldiers, NPA rebels reaches Laguna nat’l highway

SAN PEDRO CITY – An ongoing battle between New People’s Army (NPA) rebels and government soldiers on Wednesday has reached a national road, prompting local officials to set road blocks to keep civilians off the encounter site.

As of 6 p.m., Supt. Chitadel Gaoiran, spokesperson of the Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon (Calabarzon) police, said the firefight has reached the national highway in Luisiana town in Laguna.

“It’s on the national highway already so we prohibit vehicles from passing,” Gaoiran said in a text message.

Just an hour earlier, Rommel Palacol of the Laguna Action Center, said the encounter between the rebels and the police occurred in Barangay Bulajo in the adjacent town of Cavinti.

“Roads are blocked and vehicles coming from Pagsanjan (Laguna) and Lucban (Quezon) are asked to re-route,” Palacol said. He said there are reports of “casualties” on the government’s side.

Gaoiran said the ongoing battle on Wednesday began around 12 noon on the boundary of Barangay Kalangay and Mahabang Parang in Lucban. This involved members of the 5th Maneuver Platoon of Quezon Police Public Safety Company.

So far, police reported certain Police Officer 2 Leonida and Police Officer 1 Tayaba wounded in the clash.