A soldier and a civilian were hurt in a New People's Army ambush in Vallehermoso town, Negros Occidental on Thursday morning.

Lt. Col. Franco Nemesio Gacal, commander of the Philippine Army's 11th Infantry Battalion, said seven personnel onboard a military truck where passing a highway in Barangay Molobolo around 8 a.m., when they were ambushed by an undetermined number of NPA members.

Gacal said one of the soldier identified as Private First Class Joemarie Arce was hurt in the ambush. He added that a 15-year-old villager was also hit by a stray bullet from the rebels.

He said the stray bullet could not have come from the Army personnel's side because their military truck was trying to get away from the "kill zone" during the exchange of gunfire.

He added that the civilian was also standing opposite the area where the NPA rebels were hiding from.

Gacal, meanwhile, said the unit is on full alert because they are expecting more attacks from the rebels who are out to avenge a leader's killing in a recent encounter.

He said pursuit operations with the police have been launched against the rebels. -- Report from Romeo Subaldo, ABS-CBN Negros