Six suspected New People's Army (NPA) communist rebels and one soldier died in a fierce firefight in Balayan, Batangas on Sunday, Dec. 17.

Joint forces from the Philippine Army's 59th Infantry Battalion, Philippine Navy (PN) and Philippine Air Force (PAF) conducted combat operations in Barangay Malalay when they encountered around 14 armed men believed to be members of the NPA's Sangay sa Partido sa Platoon (SPP) Kawing from the Southern Tagalog Regional Party Committee’s Sub-Regional Military Area 4C around 2 a.m., according to Maj. Gen. Roberto S. Capulong, commander of the Army's 2nd Infantry Division (2ID).

A firefight erupted between the government troops and the suspected communist rebels at a temporary encampment of the SPP which led to the death of six individuals from the enemies' side and one from the military.

Three other soldiers were also wounded in the encounter and rushed to Medical Center Western Batangas in Balayan for treatment.

The identities of the fallen and wounded troops have yet to be disclosed. Their families were already notified of the incident, according to Capulong.

"This encounter has incurred fatality in our ranks but this will not deter our resolve to continue our sworn duty in ensuring the safety and security of our communities against these terrorist groups, especially this Yuletide Season," he said.

Meanwhile, Department of National Defense (DND) Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. condoled with the family of the slain soldier.

"Buong-puso tayong nagpapasalamat sa katapatan at kabayanihan ng ating mga sundalo upang ipagtanggol at pangalagaan ang bayan (We wholeheartedly thank our soldiers for their sincerity and heroism in order to protect and defend the nation)," Teodoro noted.

The defense chief said all the necessary assistance for the family of the slain soldier will be provided by the DND and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) while the wounded soldiers will also receive the best medical care and immediate help.

"Ang AFP ay palaging nakabantay at hindi titigil sa pagsugpo ng lahat ng teroristang grupo na nagdudulot ng kapahamakan sa ating bansa (The AFP is always here to guard and will not stop in eradicating all the terrorist groups which poses a threat to our country)," Teodoro said.

Authorities recovered on site two M16 rifles, one M653 rifle, one shotgun, and documents from the enemy's camp.

The encounter occurred three weeks after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. granted amnesty to former members of rebel groups, including the NPA, in an attempt to cultivate an environment where lasting peace could thrive in the country by encouraging them to return to the folds of the law and reintegrate themselves back to the mainstream society.

In 2021, Batangas has been declared an insurgency-free province but Lt. Col. Hector Estolas, chief of 2ID public affairs office, said that remnants of the weakened units kept on coming back to re-establish their force.