MANILA, Philippines - Troops killed 2 suspected New People's Army (NPA) leaders in an encounter in a remote barangay in Dinalupihan, Bataan, Monday afternoon.

2nd Lt. Noriel Chan, commanding officer of the Philippine Army's 31st Infantry Battalion, said troops encountered an undetermined number of suspected rebels in Barangay Bacong Bayan shortly before 5 p.m..

"We found one body. Iyong isa wounded. Kinuha at dinala sa hospital, but unfortunately dead on arrival na," Chan said after the encounter.

He said that the rebels' presence in Barangay Bacong Bayan was tipped by a civilian informant.

He said that Felicisimo Jacobe alias Ka Tinio, a former commander of an NPA unit operating in Zambales, Bataan and Pampanga, positively identified the 2 slain rebels.

Chan said that according to Jacobe, one of the slain rebels was an NPA commander in Bataan province and the other one was acting vice leader of an NPA platoon.

Recovered from the slain rebels were 3 cellular phones, an M16 rifle, a rifle grenade and several ammunition.

The Army official declined to name the slain rebels. -- Report from Gracie Rutao, ABS-CBN Bataan