SAMAR, Philippines – A member of the New People's Army (NPA) was killed when a group of local Communist rebels, while making their escape after attacking a community in Samar province, exchanged fire with another group of NPAs whom they figured in a misencounter, a military report said on Monday.

Lt. Col. Noel Vestuir, 8th Infantry Division public affairs officer, said a village leader, Anthony Giray, narrowly escaped death after one of the NPA rebels shot him.

Information reaching the 8ID headquarters showed residents of Barangay Malaga, Tinambacan District, Calbayog City where roused from sleep when the bandits attacked their village at 4:30 a.m. on Sunday.

Vestuir said based on a report from Lt. Col. Jose Narciso, commanding officer of the Army’s 20th Infantry Battalion based in Tinambacan Sur, Calbayog City, an undetermined number of fully-armed local Communist rebels led by one alias “Nady” raided the houses of Arturo Flor, a businessman; Eugene Nuñes, village chief; and other residents in the area.

During the atack, one of the rebels shot Giray, who managed to escape despite being wounded. He was later evacuated to Calbayog City for treatment.

The rebels established a checkpoint along the highway in the barangay, using vehicles that they flagged down to block the possible reinforcement of government troops. One truck that did not stop in the checkpoint was fired upon by the rebels causing one of its tires to explode.

Sensing that government forces from the 20IB were on its way to the area, the rebels decided to escape before they get caught. As they were leaving the area, the rebels reportedly figured in a misencounter with their other comrades who were also posted within the vicinity. Witnesses claimed the firefight lasted for about 10 minutes. They added one NPA bandit was killed while another was wounded as a result of the misencounter.

Village residents said the incident could still be related to the recently-concluded barangay and SK elections where candidates supported by the NPAs failed to win a single seat.

Meanwhile, Maj. Gen. Mario Chan, the 8ID commander, said the attack was another desperate move by the NPAs to divert the attention of government forces on the ongoing combat operations.

He said the Communist rebels have resorted to attacking innocent civilians whom they consider as soft targets in order to project an image of strength and that they are still a force to reckon with. But Chan said the conduct of operations of the 8ID has severely degraded the capabilities of the Eastern Visayas Regional Party Committee.

"The recent discovery of twenty CPP/NPA encampments, their arms and war materiel caches, their stock of food supplies, their communications equipment, medical facilities and other items have severely crippled their revolutionary activities," said Chan.