Two soldiers wounded in clashes with alleged NPAs in Samar

November 4, 2019

Two soldiers were wounded while three high-powered firearms were recovered in clashes with alleged members of New People’s Army (NPA) in Samar province on Sunday.

Maj. Bard Caesar Mazo, of the  8th Infantry Division, said troops of the 801st Infantry Brigade encountered 10 armed men in the vicinity of Brgy. Lim-ao, Hinabangan, Samar around 9:30 pm.

Mazo said after a 10-minute firefight, the rebels withdrew while troops recovered high-powered firearms from the encounter site.

"The troops recovered one AK-47 rifle; two M-16 rifles; several magazines and ammunition; two backpacks containing personal belongings of the members of the communist terrorist and subversive documents," he said.

"There were no casualties on the government side while undetermined number of rebels were wounded as indicated by the bloodstains along the enemy’s route of withdrawal," he added.

Mazo said another encounter between an undetermined number of rebels and elements of 46th Infantry Battalion took place on the same day at the vicinity of Brgy. Antol, Calbiga, Samar.  

"Two soldiers were wounded-in-action but are presently in stable condition," he said.

Mazo said earlier government forces also discovered an abandoned enemy camp at the vicinity of Brgy. Trinidad, Oras, Eastern Samar.

He said the camp can accommodate around 20 persons. Mazo said the gunmen managed to escape before government troops arrived. Robina Asido/DMS