A Philippine Army soldier was killed, with three other servicemen wounded, in Cawayan, Masbate when they were ambushed by communist New People's Army (NPA) gunmen Monday afternoon.
According to the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group's (CIDG's) Masbate office, four NPA gunmen were also killed in the gunbattle.

The soldiers were accompanying CIDG police officers and Philippine Public Safety College trainees as they attempted to serve an arrest warrant against suspect Dindo Monsanto, one of the Bicol Region's Most Wanted Persons (MWP), when they were ambushed.

The soldiers and police officers were able to fight their way out of the ambush. Meanwhile, recovered from the ambush site were the bodies of the slain NPA gunmen, a .45 caliber pistol, and improvised explosives.

Authorities confiscated in the past an M16 rifle, an Ingram submachine gun and a short firearm from Monsanto. Federe said in a report, that government troops were also about to serve search warrants on two village officials.

"Operating troops have already extricated themselves from the ambush area. The troops are now in the Barangay Hall of Del Carmen," he said.