Army soldiers overran NPA camp in Sorsogon

 BULUSAN, Sorsogon---An NPA encampment was seized and several improvised landmines were confiscated by Army soldiers after a clash with communist rebels at around 10:00am here today, September 6.

Lt Col Teody Toribio, the Commanding Officer of the 31^st Infantry Battalion said that he sent a platoon of his troops led by Lt Abdul Hamid Salik to check the reported encampment in San Isidro village.

“My men were approaching the bushy portion of the area in Sitio Kaprikuhan when they were met with fires by at least 45 bandits, triggering an intense gunbattle,” he said.

The soldiers overran the encampment when the rebels fled with their dead comrades. Several landmines and bomb materials were confiscated by the soldiers.

Two soldiers were killed while four others were wounded in the clash. The identities of the dead soldiers were not made available pending notification of their relatives.

The wounded soldiers were brought to a local hospital for treatment and they were declared out of danger by attending physicians.

Toribio said that the soldiers spotted 5 dead rebels being carried by their companions. 

Civilian tipsters who saw the fleeing rebels pass by their village said 10 other rebels were wounded.

Col Felix Castro Jr., the Commander of the 903rd Infantry Brigade based here has directed the 31st Infantry Battalion to pursue the rebels.