Philippine Army troops seized a rebel hideout and recovered explosives after a clash with communist insurgents in Oriental Mindoro province, military officials said Sunday, marking the second encounter in Mindoro this week.

Soldiers from the 1st Infantry Battalion engaged in a 15-minute firefight with New People’s Army (NPA) rebels in Bongabong town on Saturday, December 21, after receiving tips from barangay residents about armed individuals in the area, according to military reports.

The troops recovered nine anti-personnel mines, ammunition, and supplies from the abandoned hideout.

No military casualties were reported, while rebel casualties were still being verified.

The NPA, the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines, has waged one of Asia’s longest-running insurgencies since 1969.

The group was designated as a terrorist organization by the Philippines in 2017.

The clash came just days after another encounter in nearby Roxas municipality where one female rebel was killed on December 18, 2024.

“The terrorists have no more place to hide because of the strong partnership between the military and the communities we serve,” said Major General Cerilo Balaoro Jr., commander of the 2nd Infantry Division, in a statement.

Balaoro condemned the rebels’ continued use of anti-personnel mines, which are prohibited under international humanitarian law.

The Philippines is a signatory to the 1997 Ottawa Treaty banning landmines.

The military said the rebels appear to be moving frequently to evade government forces and local communities in Southern Tagalog, a region that has historically been a stronghold of communist insurgents.

Despite peace talks between the government and communist rebels breaking down multiple times over the past decades, the Philippine military continues counter-insurgency operations aimed at ending the 55-year conflict that has claimed thousands of lives.