Eleven soldiers killed in clash with NPA

The Philippine army has dispatched troops and helicopter gunships to Mindoro island, after losing 11 soldiers in an ambush by communist guerrillas of the New People’s Army (NPA).

Flipino soldiers on manoeuvres AFP

The soldiers were on patrol in Mindoro, south of Manila, when they ran into a fortified NPA camp, said Colonel Romeo Brawner.

A three-hour gun battle followed, with seven soldiers wounded and some rebel casualties, according to the army.

"The troops fought it out literally to the last bullet," Brawner said.

The soldiers were patrolling to guarantee security for candidates in May’s general and local elections. The NPA demands money from candidates in exchange for “permit to campaign” cards. Those who refuse to pay are attacked and sometimes killed.

Earlier this week, a former police officer running for local office was shot dead.

Saturday’s clashes were the fiercest fighting since nine NPA fighters and one soldier were killed in a raid on a rebel camp on Mindanao island in December.

The NPA has been fighting a guerrilla campaign for 40 years. The military claims that its numbers have been reduced to about 3,000 today. Two armed Islamic movements, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and the Moro National Liberation Front, are strong in the south of the country, where the Abu Sayyaf group is also active.

Rights groups accuse the military of running right-wing militias and some local leaders linked to the government have also been involved in violence.