MANILA, the Philippines, May 20 (Xinhua) -- Philippine security forces killed four New People's Army (NPA) rebels in an encounter Sunday afternoon in southern Surigao del Sur province, the military said on Monday.
The military said the four were killed in a 10-minute "running gun battle" with at least 10 guerrillas in Cancavan, a village in Carmen town in Surigao del Sur.
The rest of the rebels fled, the military added.
Three rebels died at the clash site while another was critically wounded and pronounced dead at a local hospital, according to the military.
Troops recovered three AK-47 rifles, two M16 rifles, two long magazines for M16, and rebel documents left behind by the fleeing rebels, the military said.
Several attempts were made since the 1980s to forge a peace pact between the government and the NPA rebels but failed.
The administration of President Rodrigo Duterte also made an attempt but also failed. Fresh peace talks between the government and the NPA were suspended again in 2017.
The NPA, which has been fighting for 50 years, numbers about 3,500.
The rebellion has left about 40,000 combatants and civilians dead. It also has stunted economic development, especially in the countryside.
