The Red fighters successfully countered the attempt of the 31st Infantry Battalion to encircle and overpower them. A Sgt. Canuel and seven other soldiers were killed when the NPA detonated explosives and fired upon the attacking soldiers.

PRESS RELEASE
CPP Information Bureau
08 July 2013

Eight Philippine Army soldiers killed in NPA counter-attack in Sorsogon

At least eight soldiers belonging to the 31st Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army were killed when a platoon of the Celso Minguez Command of the New People's Army succeeded in carrying-out active defense maneuvers in Sitio (sub-village) Madagusong, Barangay (village) Macawayan, Irosin, Sorsogon in the early morning hours of 06 July 2013.
The Red fighters successfully countered the attempt of the fascist troops of the 31st Infantry Battalion to encircle and overpower them. They were able to inflict heavy casualties against the Armed Forces of the Philippines. A Sgt. Canuel of the 31st IB and seven other soldiers were killed in action when the NPA detonated explosives and fired upon the attacking soldiers. The spokesperson of the 903rd Infantry Brigade, Col. Joselito Caquilala, concealed the actual number of soldiers who were killed in the encounter.
An NPA Red figher, Pinky Boticario (Ka Gerald), from the same barrio (village), was martyred in the course of the firefight. The NPA-CMC pays its highest tribute to its fallen Red fighter.
Later that afternoon, a team of NPA Red fighters detonated explosives against the vehicle of the 508th Public Safety Management Battalion of the Philippine National Police. The PNP-PSMB is a combat unit of the PNP being used in counter-guerrilla operations under Oplan Bayanihan (Aquino government counter-insergency program). The demolition operation was carried out along the Maharlika Highway in Barangay Ponong, Casiguran. Several policemen were wounded in the attack. The NPA team was able to safely retreat from the area.