1 soldier killed, 6 hurt in NPA ambush

MANILA, Philippines - One soldier was killed and six others were wounded in an ambush staged by members of the New People’s Army (NPA) in Victoria, Northern Samar, before dawn Tuesday.

Lt. Col. Noel Vestuir, chief of the Army’s 20th Infantry Battalion, said soldiers were conducting patrols within the boundaries of barangays Lungib and Luisita when a landmine exploded at about 4:30 a.m.

An encounter between the Army troops and the NPA members ensued, resulting in the death of one soldier and the wounding of six others. The military has not determined whether the NPA suffered casualties during the 30-minute clash.

The wounded soldiers were rushed to a local hospital for medical treatment.

The ambush happened four days after three communist rebels were slain in a clash with members of the 8th Military Intelligence Battalion and troops from the 87th Infantry Battalion in Pinabacdao, Samar.

One M16 rifle, one M653 rifle, three magazines for AK47, 100 extra rounds for AK47, seven short magazines for M16 and subversive documents were recovered from the encounter site.

The military estimates that there are about 4,000 communist insurgents nationwide.