MANILA: A New People’s Army(NPA) rebel was killed following a firefight in Negros Oriental yesterday, said military officials.
Ray Tiongson, public affairs officer of the Army’s 3rd Infantry Division, said troops from the 11th Infantry Battalion were on a security patrol when they clashed with seven NPA rebels in Guihulngan City around 9.50am local time.
Tiongson said one soldier was injured in the 20-minute-long firefight and was sent to hospital for treatment.
While pursuing the fleeing rebels, Tiongson said, the troops discovered a rebel camp nearby.
He said the camp features a training area, makeshift facilities for training instructions and meetings, a kitchen and a foxhole.
Recovered at the scene were a KG-9 submachine gun, four backpacks with rebel documents, training materials, assorted medicines, kitchen utensils, and personnel belongings.
Abe considers sales tax hike delay, snap poll
TOKYO: Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is considering dissolving the lower house of parliament and calling a snap election if he decides to delay a plan to raise the sales tax next year, the Yomiuri newspaper reported.
If Abe does dissolve the lower house, an election could be held on December 14 or 21, the Yomiuri reported yesterday citing several government and ruling party sources.
Abe has also told members of his party’s coalition partner of this plan, the Yomiuri said.
In a television interview on Friday, Abe said he was not thinking of calling an early election, but then he hedged his bets by saying this is something a prime minister always has to say.
Abe has to decide by year’s end whether to go through with a plan to raise the sales tax to 10 percent from 8 percent in October 2015.
Abe could delay this plan by a year and a half if third quarter gross domestic product, which is due on November 17, struggles to accelerate, the Yomiuri said.
Agencies
