TWO suspected members of the New People’s Army (NPA) were killed in an encounter with the military in Mansalay, Oriental Mindoro, early Thursday morning, February 21.

Southern Luzon Command public information officer Lieutenant Felise Vida Solano said the clash occurred in Barangay Teresita around 4:30 a.m. when army troopers, who were patrolling the area, encountered an undetermined number of “heavily armed” communist rebels.

Two still unidentified suspected rebels were killed during the firefight. No casualties were reported among the government troops.

The troops also recovered an M16 rifle and three backpacks left by the fleeing rebels. (Third Anne Peralta-Malonzo/SunStar Philippines)