Eight communist rebels killed in Sorsogon clash

CAMP SIMEON OLA, LEGAZPI CITY – Joint elements of army units belonging to the 31st Infantry Battalion and the 96th Military Intelligence Company (MICO) of the Philippine Army's 9th Infantry Division fought rebels in a 35-minute gun-battle where 8 rebels were killed at dawn of Thursday (July 4, 2013).

Automatic weapons and explosive devices were also recovered from the rebels. In a report relayed to the Philippine National Police (PNP) regional office in this camp, army troops of the joint unit recovered, 3, Baby Armalites; 2, M-16 rifles, (Armalites) attached with M-203 Grenade launchers, some ammunitions and an “Improvised Explosive Device” (IED).

The identities of the communist rebels killed in the firefight were not immediately known.

Soldiers of the 31st Infantry Battalion reported that rebels who belong to the “Larangan Guerilla II” of the NPA’s KOMPROB in Sorsogon province were initially sighted in a temporary encampment at barangay Calomayon.

The Army also reported that they are in the process of identifying some of the dead rebels, while no wounded or dead was reported on the government side that was led by 2nd Lieutenant Alfie P. Ayo. (SONNY SALES)