Eight alleged members of the New People's Army (NPA) were killed while eight high powered firearms were recovered following a series of encounters with government forces in Northern Samar on Thursday.

Maj. Jefferson Mariano. Army's 8th Infantry Division public affairs office chief said the military launched an assault against the NPA following the reported presenceof the rebels under the Regional Headquarters (RHQ) of the Eastern Visayas Regional Party Committee (EVRPC) conducting extortion while threatening the farmers in Barangay San Isidro, Las Navas, Northern Samar.

"The first firefight erupted at around 2:30 am, as 8th ID troops launched an assault on a heavily- fortified enemy hideout surrounded with International Humanitarian Law (IHL)-banned Anti-Personnel Mines (APMs), this prompted the troops to call for a fire support. The clash yielded an intense exchange of fires, resulting in the death of seven (communist NPA terrorist) CNTs and seizure of five M16 rifles, one R4 rifle with an attached M203 grenade launcher," he said.

"By 10:00 am, another clash ensued as the reinforcing troops of the 803rd Infantry Brigade tracked down fleeing Communist Terrorist Group (CTG) elements going west of the first encounter site. This second engagement resulted in a 30-minute firefight resulting in the death of one CNT and seizure of one R4 rifle," he added.

Army's 8th ID Commander Major General Adonis Ariel Orio attributed the successful operation to the effective cooperation of the residents within the local community.

Orio also reiterated the government's call for the rebels to lay down their firearms and return to the folds of the law.

"We have repeatedly called on them to return to their families, but this group continues to cling to their twisted ideology that has claimed the lives of countless Filipinos. We therefore reaffirm our call to the remaining members of the CTGs, this may be your best chance to lay down your arms, abandon the armed struggle, and return to the fold of the law. We will not stop until Eastern Visayas is free from your acts of terror. We will hit you hard," he said. Robina Asido/DMS