ZAMBOANGA CITY – A communist New People’s Army (NPA) rebel was killed following a clash with government troops in Lanao del Sur, the military reported.

The 16th Scout Ranger Company encountered remnants of the NPA Sub-Regional Committee-5 (SRC-5) around 3 p.m. Saturday in Barangay Bandara Ingod, leading to the death of an unidentified rebel armed with an M16 rifle.

“No government casualties were reported following the clash,” according to the report, noting that the incident was the ninth encounter between the government troops and remnants of the SRC-5 since January.

Just last week, another member of the same group surrendered following a clash in Barangay Pagonayan, Amai Manabilang.

Sustained military operations to dismantle the remaining SRC-5 elements were vowed, while continuing peace and development programs with local governments in Lanao del Sur.

Amai Manabilang

Amai Manabilang is a municipality in the province of Lanao del Sur, Philippines, named in honor of Datu Amai Manabilang, a revered Maranao leader who resisted foreign rule. The area is historically significant as part of the Lanao region, which is the heartland of the Maranao culture and was a center of resistance during the American colonial era.

Lanao del Sur

Lanao del Sur is a province in the Philippines located on the island of Mindanao, known as the heartland of the Maranao people. It is historically significant as the home of the ancient Lake Lanao and the Sultanate of Maguindanao, which was a major center of Islamic faith and culture in the region. The area is renowned for its rich cultural heritage, including traditional art like the *okir* carving and the iconic Torogan ancestral houses.

Zamboanga City

Zamboanga City, known as the “City of Flowers,” is a major urban center in the southern Philippines with a rich history rooted in its Spanish colonial past, evidenced by the 17th-century Fort Pilar. It is a cultural melting pot, renowned for its Chavacano language—a Spanish-based creole—and its vibrant traditions blending indigenous, Malay, and Hispanic influences.

Barangay Bandara Ingod

“Barangay Bandara Ingod” appears to be a local administrative division (barangay) in the Philippines, though specific historical details about this particular barangay are not widely documented. As a barangay, it represents the smallest governing unit in the country, a system with roots in pre-colonial village societies. Its name suggests a possible connection to a local geographical feature or historical figure.

Barangay Pagonayan

Barangay Pagonayan is a rural village located in the municipality of Bagabag, in the province of Nueva Vizcaya, Philippines. Historically, its development has been tied to agriculture, particularly rice and corn farming, which has been the primary livelihood for its residents for generations. The area reflects the traditional culture and close-knit community life typical of the Ilocano and Igorot peoples of the region.