BALER, Aurora -- Two suspected New People’s Army (NPA) rebels were killed in an encounter with government forces at the boundary of Quirino and this province the other day.

Lt. Col. Kurt Decapia, Army’s 48th Infantry Battalion commander based in Bgy. Calabuanan, this town, said his troops from the Alpha company under Lt. Bert Agustin clashed with some 15 NPA rebels in Sitio Sibbagan, Bgy. Landingan, Quirino.

Decapia said the encounter at around 9:30 a.m. lasted for almost 20 minutes last Monday. He said the troops were conducting security operation when they chanced upon the rebels, triggering a firefight

He said the slain rebels belong to the group of Rommel Tucay Bustamante, alias Ka Issac, secretary of the Sangay ng Partido sa Platoon North Aurora operating in Quirino and Aurora.   

The soldier later recovered the bodies of the two unidentified rebels during clearing operations. No casualties were reported on the government side. Recovered at the scene were two M-16 rifles, an M203 grenade, an M79 grenade launcher, a laptop, ammunition and subversive documents.

The troopers also discovered an abandoned NPA camp, indicating that the rebels remain active in Aurora and Quirino.

Aurora was declared insurgency-free on Feb.19, 2010 aside from 25 provinces earlier declared NPA-free by the AFP.