Suspected rebels killed in Samar clash
TACLOBAN CITY — The Philippine Army announced that two suspected New People’s Army (NPA) rebels were killed in an encounter with government troops in Samar on Friday morning.
Based in Catbalogan City, the Army’s 8th Infantry Division said troops from the 46th Infantry Battalion engaged remnants of the Yakal Platoon under the Eastern Visayas Regional Party Committee in a seven-minute firefight.
The clash occurred in the hinterlands of Barangay Caulayanan, Motiong, Samar, around 7:25 a.m.
Afterward, soldiers recovered an M14 rifle and a caliber .45 pistol. The bodies of two unidentified individuals, believed to be members of the armed group, were found at the scene.
‘Weakening insurgency’
The 8th Infantry Division said the encounter reflects continuing operations in Eastern Visayas. These are aimed at weakening insurgent forces linked to the Communist Party of the Philippines and its armed wing.
Samar has long been a center of guerrilla activity. But military officials have reported a decline in rebel strength in recent years.
The Army described the latest clash as a setback for the group. The government forces cited the loss of personnel and weapons. Moreover, they noted that recent encounters suggest insurgents are now limited to brief, sporadic engagements while evading government troops.
Call for white flag
The military also renewed its call for remaining rebels to surrender and avail themselves of the government’s Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-CLIP). This provides those who surrender with financial aid, livelihood assistance, and reintegration support.
Operations, meanwhile, are ongoing as troops pursue fleeing members of the group. They seek to prevent further security threats in the area.
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