MANILA, Philippines (Xinhua) - Two finance officers of the leftist rebel group New People's Army (NPA) were captured following a firefight in Sorsogon this morning, a military official said.
Troops from the Philippine Army's 9th Infantry Division were conducting a security operation when they caught up with an undetermined number of leftist guerrillas at around 6:45 a.m. in Batang Ilan village, Magallanes town in Sorsogon province.
Lt. Col. Medel Aguilar, spokesman of the 9th Infantry Division, said one of those nabbed, Elias Pura, surrendered to the troops during the firefight and handed over his M653 baby armalite rifle.
Aguilar said Pura is the finance officer of the leftist rebel group's Bicol Regional Party Committee.
The other NPA guerrilla, identified only as one alias Ino, was wounded and taken into custody after the firefight. Aguilar said Ino is the finance officer of the NPAs in Sorsogon province.