2 soldiers killed in CamSur clash with rebels

NAGA CITY — Two soldiers were killed in an encounter with suspected New People’s Army (NPA) rebels in Ragay town in Camarines Sur province on Sunday, military said.

Col. Ferozaldo Paul T. Regencia, spokesperson of the Philippine Army’s 9th Infantry Division, said there were two separate encounters in Ragay on Sunday — the first happened in Salvacion village at around 8:30 a.m. and was followed by the clash in Patalunan village at 10:20 a.m.

The two soldiers died in the Salvacion clash, according to Regencia.

“We will release their (soldiers) names after we have informed their families,” he told the Inquirer.

Ragay has been identified as a Category 2 election hotspot in the upcoming local elections. Areas placed in this category are known for an intense rivalry among candidates, has a history of election-related violence, and confirmed presence of private armed groups and armed threats.

Villages reportedly told authorities before the encounter that the NPAs have fielded candidates in the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections. /ee