2 New People’s Army rebels slain in Mindoro clash

MANILA, Philippines — Two suspected New People’s Army (NPA) guerrillas were killed in an encounter with Army troopers in Mansalay, Occidental Mindoro yesterday morning.

Authorities have yet to identify the fatalities, who were believed to be members of the NPA’s Platoon Mike of Kilusang Laranga Guerrilla Silangan and headed by a certain Peter Rivera alias Ka Rotchie.

The encounter between the soldiers and the insurgents occurred at around 4:30 a.m. in  Barangay Teresita.

The troopers were responding to a complaint of the residents about the presence of a group of armed men in the area, according Col. Marceliano Teofilo, chief of the Army’s 203rd Infantry Brigade.

The troopers recovered three rifles, backpacks, medical paraphernalia and personal belongings from the encounter site.