2 rebels killed in clashes

CATBALOGAN, Samar, Philippines — Two suspected New People’s Army (NPA) guerrillas were killed in a series of encounters in Catubig, Northern Samar on Tuesday.

The fatalities reportedly included an alias Baste, Randy or Nistah, said to be the platoon and squad leader of the NPA sub-regional committee’s Front 15.

The other was identified as alias Jino, a member of the Squad 2 of the Regional Guerrilla Unit of the NPA’s Eastern Visayas regional party committee.

Capt. Jefferson Mariano, public affairs office chief of the Army’s 8th Infantry Division, said seven simultaneous clashes erupted in the hinterlands of Barangay Sulitan and resulted in the death of the two rebels.