A Philippine Army soldier was killed and another wounded after government troops clashed with suspected New People's Army rebels in Sta. Catalina town, Negros Oriental, at the height of the elections yesterday.

Initial reports from the Philippine Army's 79 th Infantry Battalion identified the fatality as Private First Class Aris De Emoy, and the injured soldier as PFC Anastacio Aloba Jr., who was hit in his left foot.

The Army said that a section of the Alpha Company of the 79 th IB, led by 1Lt. Alexander Robillos, was on combat patrol operations at around 11 a.m., when it encountered about 30 suspected rebels in Sitio Bongabong, Barangay Milagrosa in Sta. Catalina.

A firefight of almost 10 minutes was followed by a running gun-battle as the rebels believed to be members of the SDG Platoon Robinson of the South East Front of the Komiteng Rehiyonal Sentral Bisayas, withdrew westward.

Lt. Col. Marion Sison, commander of the 79 th IB, said pursuit operations are ongoing, and two military helicopter gunships have been deployed to assist ground troops.

This was the third armed clash between the 79 th IB and the same group of suspected rebels, the first being on May 6 and the next on May 11.*JFP

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