ORMOC CITY, Leyte—A soldier from the Philippine Army was wounded on Wednesday afternoon when government troops overran another New People’s Army (NPA) camp in Burauen town, located about 80 kilometers away from here.
Army Staff Sgt. Eleazar Ilola was wounded in the left foot during the 45-minute shootout with communist rebels at the boundary of Barangays Candag-on and Roxas in Burauen, about 2:45 p.m.
Lt. Col. Danilo Dupiag, commander of the Army 78th Infantry Battalion, said the soldiers stumbled upon another NPA camp while pursuing the rebels who fled when government troops overran their camp in Barangay Candag-on on Tuesday.
But Dupiag said the soldiers were met by at least 50 rebels who put up a fierce gunfight that lasted for 45 minutes.
Ilola was hit in the left foot and was brought to a hospital in Tacloban City where he was given medical assistance. JPV