A policeman was wounded following a brief encounter yesterday morning with suspected New People’s Army (NPA) rebels in Don Salvador Benedicto.

The Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office (NOPPO) identified the injured law enforcement official as Police Officer 3 Shaun Francis Nelmida.

According to a NOPPO report, while personnel from the 605th Mobile Company, part of the Philippine National Police-Regional Mobile Force Battalion-6, were conducting patrols in response to intelligence suggesting a possible NPA presence, they encountered two to three NPA rebels at a supposed enemy outpost at Sitio Kalipas, located in the town’s Barangay Igmaya-an.

The clash lasted for five minutes and concluding with the rebels withdrawing to the northeast.

It is currently unknown if the rebels also sustained casualties.

Both police and elements of the Philippine Army 303rd Infantry Brigade are presently conducting hot-pursuit operations against the rebels./DGB, WDJ