7 NPA rebels killed in Samar clashes – military
Published Jun 24, 2025 02:18 pm
TACLOBAN CITY – The 8th Infantry “Stormtroopers” Division reported that seven New People’s Army rebels have been killed in Eastern Visayas, particularly on Samar Island.
MAP of the Philippines with the island of Samar highlighted.
From May to June, five encounters led to the deaths of seven rebels and the recovery of nine firearms and other military equipment.
Four members of the NPA, including a high-ranking leader, surrendered, resulting in the discovery of an arms cache with four high-powered firearms.
On May 26, two NPA members surrendered to the 63rd Infantry Battalion in Basey, Samar, and turned over an M4 A1 Carbine and an M16 rifle. On May 29, an unidentified communist terrorist was killed in San Jose de Buan, Samar.
On June 2, an NPA leader, alias In-In, surrendered to the 20th Infantry Battalion, resulting in the discovery of a hidden arms cache that included two M14 rifles, one M16 rifle, one M653 rifle, three improvised hand grenades, and various medical supplies.
In-In was the vice squad leader of Squad 1, Sub-Regional Guerrilla Unit, Sub-Regional Committee Arctic, operating in the province of Northern Samar.
On June 2, another NPA member, alias Bug-ot of the Regional Guerrilla Unit, Eastern Visayas Regional Party Committee (EVRPC), also surrendered.
The following day, June 3, a firefight occurred in in Barangay Nagoocan, Catubig, Northern Samar, where five NPAs were killed.
The fatalities were identified as Noel Lebico Sr., Arnel Aquino, and Nonoy Norcio and two others who remain unidentified. Troops seized three high-powered firearms, including a Squad Automatic Weapon, an M16 rifle, and a Uzi submachine gun.
Six days later, on June 9, the 87th Infantry Battalion clashed with approximately 30 members of the Yakal Platoon, Sub-Regional Committee Browser, EVRPC.
Recovered in the encounter were four M16 rifles, one .45 caliber pistol, a mobile phone, medical supplies, and personal belongings.
On June 15, an NPA, Jomar Discar, was killed in a gun battle in Sitio Bagong Bario, Barangay Pinanag-an, Borongan City, Eastern Samar. Troops recovered one M653 rifle.
Major Gen. donis Ariel Orio, commander of the 8th ID, credited the success of the operations to the support and cooperation of local communities.
“We are now in the final lap of our goal of achieving long-lasting peace, and every citizen’s involvement is crucial. Let us continue working together to put an end to this decades-long insurgency and bring lasting peace and development to Eastern Visayas,” he said.
Orio added that more breakthroughs can be expected as military operations continue to intensify.
“Your soldiers in Eastern Visayas remain committed to our mission. We will not rest until the threat posed by Communist Terrorist Groups is fully eradicated. We will scour every mountain to find them and put an irreversible end to their atrocities,” he said.