Military seizes weapons after firefight with NPA rebels in Northern Samar

TACLOBAN CITY — Armed Forces personnel engaged suspected remnants of the New People's Army (NPA) in Barangay Capotuan, Las Navas, Northern Samar on Sunday, resulting in the recovery of military hardware and explosives. The 8th Infantry Division (8ID), headquartered in Catbalogan City, confirmed the encounter and subsequent weapons seizure. Government troops recovered a squad automatic rifle, an improvised explosive device (IED), and various ammunition following the brief armed engagement. The military did not report any casualties from the encounter. The clash marks the latest in an ongoing series of operations against NPA elements operating in the Samar region, where communist insurgent groups have maintained a presence despite decades of counter-insurgency campaigns. The 8ID continues anti-insurgency operations across its area of responsibility in the Visayas.

Photo: The Las Navas River in Northern Samar, Philippines, April 2010. ElMelindo via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0).