An armed encounter erupted between the Philippine Army and suspected New People's Army (NPA) rebels in Bulan, Sorsogon on Saturday afternoon.

In a statement Sunday night, Major General Henry Robinson, commander of Joint Task Force Bicolandia, said joint elements of the Army's 31st Infantry Battalion (31IB), 903rd Infantry Brigade (903IBgde), and local police responded to reports about the sighting of armed men in Barangay R. Gerona before the clash occurred at 3:18 p.m.

Robinson said the troops spotted the suspects in a secluded area in the village. The suspects allegedly fired the first shot, prompting the state forces to retaliate.

After a brief gunfight, the armed men allegedly fled on foot while leaving behind their personal belongings.

The troops recovered an M14 rifle and two anti-personnel mines at the encounter site.

Robinson said he was elated with the "growing support of the Bicolanos in the unrelenting efforts of the government to quell the unlawful activities" of the NPA rebels especially amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

He cited the continuous interoperability of government forces in Sorsogon for the past months which resulted in a series of armed encounters, neutralization of communist rebels and recovery of high powered firearms.

Just last July 30, an unidentified female rebel was killed in a clash between the military and communist guerillas in Barangay Daganas in Bulan town. An M60 machine gun, M16 riffle and an anti-personnel mine were recovered by the troops during the encounter.

Also killed were two soldiers identified as Private First Class Greyan Andus and Corporal Arnel Divinagracia, of the Army’s 22nd Infantry Battalion.

"Our extensive military operations will never cease until we finally put an end to this local armed conflict," Robinson said.

"Pero sa kabila nito, tuloy-tuloy pa rin ang panawagan natin sa kanila na sumuko na dahil hindi natin gustong patuloy na makakita ng kapwa nating Pilipino na namamatay lalo na ngayong panahon ng pandemya (Despite this, we continuously call on them to surrender because we do not want to see fellow Filipinos dying especially amid the pandemic)," he appealed.

"Just like our soldiers, these men have their own families waiting for them to go home safe and alive," he added.