4 killed in crossfire in Philippines

MANILA - Four people, including two children, were killed and a girl was injured in a crossfire between Philippine government soldiers and New People's Army rebels in Labo town of Camarines Norte province, in northeastern Philippines, on Saturday afternoon, the military said on Sunday.

Angelo Guzman, spokesman of the army's 9th Infantry Division, named the slain rebels as Rafael Llanto, alias Gopi, the vice commander of the NPA's Regional Guerilla Unit, which the military said is a highly-trained and equipped rebel unit; and Benjamin Manzera, 54.

The two died in the skirmish with troops from the Army's 49th Infantry Battalion at around 1 pm in Malaya village, Guzman said.

The slain children were Michael Manzera, 10; and his brother, 7, while the wounded was their sibling, Leoneza. The three are all children of one of the two slain rebels (Manzera), according to Guzman.

Guzman said the soldiers were dispatched to the community after receiving information. He said the other rebels fled after a 10-minute firefight.  

Asked about whose bullet killed the children, the official said they are still looking into it.