Las navas: At least eight members of the New People's Army (NPA) were killed in two separate clashes after government troops attacked the rebels' hideout in upland San Isidro village in Las Navas, Northern Samar.
According to Philippines News Agency, the Philippine Army's 8th Infantry Division (ID) reported that the death toll rose from an initial four to eight, marking a significant development in the government's anti-insurgency efforts. The first encounter began at approximately 2:30 a.m. on Thursday, when military forces engaged a well-fortified enemy position, which was surrounded by banned anti-personnel mines. This situation necessitated a call for fire support, as explained by 8th ID spokesperson Capt. Jefferson Mariano.
"The clash resulted in an intense exchange of fire, leading to the death of seven armed rebels and the confiscation of five M16 rifles and one R4 rifle equipped with an M203 grenade launcher," Capt. Mariano stated in a phone interview. Later that morning, at 10 a.m., a second clash occurred as reinforcements from the 803rd Infantry Brigade pursued fleeing rebels. This encounter resulted in a 30-minute gunfight that left one NPA fighter dead and led to the seizure of another R4 rifle.
The military operation was initiated following intelligence from a concerned civilian about armed men engaging in extortion activities and threatening local farmers. Maj. Gen. Adonis Ariel Orio, commander of the 8th ID, credited the successful operation to the cooperation between residents and the military in the fight against insurgency.
Maj. Gen. Orio emphasized, "We have repeatedly urged them to return to their families, but this group remains committed to their ideology, which has caused the loss of many lives. We continue to urge the remaining members of the communist terrorist group to lay down their arms and rejoin society. We will not relent until Eastern Visayas is free from these acts of terror."
The mountainous region of Las Navas has long been a known NPA stronghold, with frequent clashes occurring between government forces and rebels in the area's upland villages. Las Navas Mayor Philbert Tan, in a separate statement, urged remaining rebels to surrender, highlighting the lack of support from local villagers.
