2 more Red rebels slain in Philippine encounter

MANILA: Two more members of the communist New People’s Army (NPA) were killed in their increasing clashes with government forces in Sorsogon province in the Bicol Region since the Duterte administration officially suspended peace talks with them.

Chief Inspector Maria Luisa Calubaquib, the spokesman of the Bicol regional police, reported the encounter occurred late on Thursday afternoon in a remote “barangay” (village) in the town of Bulan, Sorsogon.

Calubaquib said government forces were on security patrol when they clashed with 15 NPA members who abandoned their two dead comrades as well as two riles when they led from the scene.

The police and military have noted the Bulan clash was the latest in the increasing number of encounters between government forces and the insurgents since President Rodrigo “Rody” Duterte oficially suspended their peace talks early this year.

The NPA is the armed component of the Communist Party of the Philippines that has been waging a Maoist-style insurgency against the government for 50 years, considered the longest in Asia and the Paciic.

Duterte ordered the suspension due to the unabated Maoist attacks on business establishments as well as remote military police outposts while their representatives were talking peace with their government counterparts in Oslo, Norway which has been brokering the negotiations.

In particular, Duterte accused the Maoists of engaging in massive extortion activities preying on business establishments, especially mining and bus companies, under the guise of demanding payment of “revolutionary taxes.”