CATANAUAN, Quezon -- Troops on foot patrol discovered Wednesday skeletal remains of a farmer who has been missing since 2009 in Sitio Ibabang Suha, Bgy. San Pablo.

Col. Generoso Bolina, spokesman of the Southern Luzon Command (Solcom), said the remains are believed to be Melencio Ebora’s, 34, who was snatched by a group of New People's Army rebels led by Ka Jodel on Dec. 23, 2009 on suspicion that he was a military informer.

Bolina said members of the Army's 74th Infantry Battalion under Lt. Col. Dennis Perez were approached by a resident in the village who led them to the grave of the farmer.

He said the troops quickly coordinated with the town police to check if  Ebora was indeed missing.

The troops and the policemen dug the one-meter grave where they recovered the skeletons.

They brought the remains to the PNP Regional Crime Laboratory at Camp Vicente Lim in Calamba City, Laguna for examination.

Meanwhile, a member of the Army 1st Infantry Battalion was wounded in an encounter with a band of communist rebels in Bgy. Bagong Silang, Real, Quezon, Tuesday afternoon.

Bolina said Pfc. Ricardo Gabia sustained a bullet wound in the shoulder and was evacuated to the military hospital at Camp Capinpin in Tanay, Rizal.

He said troops were on combat patrol in the remote village to verify the reported ongoing extortion activities when they encountered the rebels.

Some 10 NPA rebels withdrew after a 10-minute gunbattle.