THREE soldiers were killed while two others were wounded after they figured in an encounter with suspected members of the New People’s Army (NPA) in Mountain Province, a military official said Monday, July 16.

Northern Luzon Command spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Isagani Nato said troops from the 81st Infantry Battalion of the Joint Task Force "Kaugnay” were conducting combat operations near Sitio Dandanac, Barangay Tamboan, Besao, Mt. Province on July 15 at around 2:50 p.m. when they encountered an undetermined number of NPA guerillas.

He said the NPA rebels were believed to be members of the Kilusang Larangang Gerilya Ampis under a certain “Digbay.”

Nato said the encounter lasted for at least three hours.

“The intense firefight resulted to the death of three and wounding of two soldiers on the government side, while undetermined casualties on the enemy side,” he said.

“The government troops also incurred the loss of one K3 Squad Automatic Weapon, two R4 Rifles, an M203 grenade launcher attached to one of the rifle and a Harris handheld radio,” he added.

On July 14, Saturday, at around 8:40 a.m., an encounter also took place in the same area after the 81st IB initiated combat operations to clear the area of NPA terrorists.

Nato said the Nolcom forces will remain relentless in pursuing the NPA, armed component of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP). (SunStar Philippines)