MANILA, May 17 (Xinhua) -- Five suspected anti-government armed members were killed in a series of clashes with government troops in Negros Occidental province in the central Philippines on Saturday, the Philippine army said Sunday.
The military said fighting erupted between soldiers and members of the New People's Army at around 6 a.m. Saturday, and two more encounters followed later in the day at around 2 p.m. and 5 p.m., according to the military.
Government troops recovered several firearms and explosives from the encounter sites, including a machine gun, rifles, a grenade launcher and a hand grenade.
Local authorities said at least 180 families from three affected villages were evacuated to safer areas amid the fighting. ■