Eight communist rebels were killed Thursday in a clash with government troops in the eastern Philippines, the military and police said. The firefight erupted when troops stumbled upon a group of 20 guerrillas setting up a temporary encampment in a village in Juban town in Sorsogon province, 380 kilometres south-east of Manila, said regional police spokesman Superintendent Renato Bataller. Troops recovered five high-powered firearms, including two M203 grenade launchers, and an improvised explosive device from the encampment, said Lieutenant Ramon Zagala, a military spokesman. Zagala said two of the eight slain rebels were female, according to a report of DPA.
