3 soldiers hurt in Isabela gunbattle

SAN MARIANO, Isabela — Three Army soldiers were hurt on Tuesday in an hour-long skirmish with suspected New People’s Army rebels in Barangay (village) Tappa here, military reports said.

The rebels attacked a community patrol at 4:30 a.m., injuring 1st Lt. Randy Alog and two soldiers identified only as PFC Abing and PFC Binoya, members of the 86th Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army’s 5th Infantry Division.

Two rebels were also wounded and were dragged away by their comrades when the group withdrew.

At press time, reinforcement platoons have been pursuing the rebels.