An Army second lieutenant was killed Friday afternoon in an encounter with New People’s Army (NPA) rebels in Surigao del Sur, a military official said.

 

Captain Christian Uy, spokesman of the Army’s 4th Infantry Division, said Saturday that two other soldiers from the 3rd Special Forces Battalion were wounded in the clash that occurred in Buhisan village in San Agustin town around 12:30 p.m.

 

Uy said the soldiers were deployed to the village following reports that NPA rebels were conducting extortion activities in the area.

 

“There was information about the presence of an armed group in the area so the troops conducted an operation. The [rebels] were conducting foraging activities [such as] asking the people for food,” he said.

 

The spokesperson added that an undetermined number of NPA rebels also died in the ensuing firefight with the troops, which lasted for about 20 minutes.

 

Earlier this week, at least 4 members of the NPA–including two female fighters–were killed in separate encounters with government troops in Compostela Valley in Mindanao.

The NPA, the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines, has been waging an insurgency since 1969. 

Peace talks between the government and the CPP-National Democratic Front have been stalled since April this year. — Xianne Arcangel/JDS, GMA News