MANILA, Philippines - Two suspected New People’s Army (NPA) guerrillas, a member of the government security forces and a civilian were killed when another firefight erupted in Lacub town in Abra Friday night.
The new fatalities brought to eight the number of rebels killed since the fighting broke out last Thursday.
The troops, along with civilian volunteers, were transporting one of the six rebels killed in Thursday’s encounter when they were ambushed at the boundary of the town proper and the village of Guinguinabang at around 9:30 p.m.
Three other soldiers were wounded in the attack.
The military recovered four assault rifles, bringing to 17 the total number of firearms recovered from the two clashes.
“The identities of the soldier and civilian fatalities are withheld pending notification to their families. The two dead rebels have yet to be identified,” said Maj. Emmanuel Garcia, chief of the Armed Forces 1st civil relations group.
Last Thursday, soldiers from the Army’s 41st Infantry Battalion clashed with around 50 rebels in Barangay Guinguinabang. The encounter left five insurgents dead. – With Charlie Lagasca, Raymund Catindig