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3 soldiers killed in Albay NPA attack


(Updated 1:30 p.m.) Communist New People's Army (NPA) rebels on Monday attacked a group of patrolling soldiers in Camalig town in Albay province, resulting in three deaths, a military official said.

According to Maj. Angelo Guzman, spokesman of the Army's 9th Infantry Division, nine soldiers were conducting a patrol when landmines exploded before the rebels, numbering around 40,  fired at the soldiers.

The attack occurred 8:30 a.m. at Sitio Sta Lucia in Brgy. Maninila in Camalig, Albay, Guzman said.

Guzman, in an interview, said the patrol was deployed following intelligence reports that the rebels were planning to attack the newly constructed Southern Luzon International Airport in Daraga town, which was just a village away from the site of encounter.

"Very imminent 'yung attack ng NPA dun sa Southern Luzon International Airport... sinasabi sa intelligence report na aatakihin uli itong airport kaya nag-dispatch ng patrol," he said, adding that despite the fatalities, the military was able to "foil" the attack.

"Na-foil natin 'yung attack dito, kasi isipin natin kung 'yan (NPA) nakapasok na naman (sa airport)... baka nga mamayang gabi o bukas we’ll [have] another millions worth of equipment dito sa lugar [ang masira]," Guzman said.

Aside from the fatalities, one K3 squad automatic weapon and two M16 rifles were also lost to the rebels, Guzman said.

Pursuit operations were ongoing as of posting time.

The NPA is the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines, which has been waging war against the Philippine government for over four decades now.

Formal peace talks with the communist-led National Democratic Front have remained stalled since 2004. — KBK, GMA News
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