Suspected NPA member killed in Agusan del Sur encounter

A woman suspected to have been a member of the New People’s Army was killed in a clash between the rebel group and government troops in Loreto, Agusan del Sur, the Philippine Army said on Tuesday.

In a statement, the 1001st Infantry Brigade said the "unidentified" woman was killed during its focused military operations after receiving information from the community about the rebel group’s presence.

The army unit said that the encounter started around 4:30 a.m. at the boundary of of Lapaz and Loreto involving the troops of the 60th Infantry Battalion and an undetermined number of NPA members.

These rebels were "believed to be members of Weakened Guerilla Front (WGF) 3, Pulang Bagani Company (PBC) 4, Sub Regional Committee (SRC) 4 and Headquarters, Southern Mindanao Regional Committee," the statement said.

After the clash, soldiers recovered the woman's remains, while the other combatants managed to flee the area.

An AK-47 rifle, five kilograms anti-personnel Improvised Explosive Device (IED), two improvised hand grenades, a damaged M16 rifle, and two M203 live ammunition were recovered.

Other items like two handheld commercial radios, around P50,000 of money, medical supplies, five sacks of rice, two flashlights, a wet battery cell, a solar panel, and other belongings were also recovered. — Joviland Rita/BM, GMA News