AT LEAST 25 suspected members of the New People’s Army (NPA) were killed following a military airstrike in Barangay Osmeña, Dolores, Eastern Samar Monday, August 16, 2021.

In an initial report, authorities said the operating unit from Philippine Army’s 52nd Infantry Battalion, aided by the Philippine Air Force, encountered an undetermined number of communist rebels in Barangay Osmeña, Dolores around 4 a.m. Monday, resulting in a firefight.

“Our troops acted on information received from the community which pointed them to the terrorists’ hideout where they manufacture their explosives,” the Armed Forces of the Philippines said in a statement.

The military has yet to disclose the details on the exact number of dead rebels due to “operational security matters.”

“We will be sure to release an update once our troops complete the operations,” said the Army while lauding the “commitment of our troops for their outstanding resolve in our mission to protect the people from the threats of the communist terrorists.”

Sketchy reports said at least 16 bodies were already retrieved from the area.

No one was hurt from the government side.

Army troopers also recovered from the enemy 20 long firearms, laptop, and a caliber .45 pistol.

As of this posting Monday, August 16, personnel from 52nd IB were doing a clearing operation with the reinforcement from Philippine Army’s 78th IB in the area.

Samar Island, which is still beset with poverty, has remained a hotbed of insurgency with the continued presence of the NPA who has been waging a Maoist-inspired guerrilla war since the late 1960s. (SunStar Philippines)