Quezon, Philippines – Last Thursday, 30 March 2017, a firefight resulted in the death of 10 New People’s Army (NPA) rebels and two soldiers from the Armed Forces of the Philippines. 

Troops from the 80th Infantry Battalion (IB) of the Philippine Army were on a combat operation and caught up with around 30 communist rebels. The violent encounter happened at around 2:00 p.m. in Sitio Pahimuan.

None of the deceased NPA rebel bodies were recovered but efforts by the army are underway to locate where the dead have been buried. Philippine troops recovered a grenade rifle, several rounds of ammunition, and empty shells.