Philippines: 4 New People’s Army (NPA) rebels killed in an encounter with soldiers
Soldiers shot dead four communist rebels and arrested another in an encounter Thursday in a hinterland in Senator Ninoy Aquino town in the province.
A soldier who was slightly wounded in the ensuing encounter is now recuperating at a hospital.
Col. Melquiades Feliciano, commander of the Army’s 601st Brigade, said the encounter in Barangay Nati erupted when a group of New People’s Army guerillas attacked patrolling combatants of the 33rd Infantry Battalion.
The soldiers were dispatched to Barangay Nati to verify reported presence of NPAs in the area suspected to be preparing an attack to local peasant communities.