BAGUIO CITY — The municipal government of Licuan-Baay, Abra, has ordered the temporary suspension of classes at all levels and banned hunting activities in several upland communities following military operations in the area.

Licuan-Baay Mayor Darwin L. Domingo issued Executive Order No. 45, suspending all face-to-face classes and school-related activities in Barangay Bonglo to protect students and teachers.

The mayor also issued Memorandum Order No. 01 directing barangay officials in Bonglo, Lenneng, Bulbulala, Mapisla, Tumalip, Nalbuan, and Subagan to instruct residents and hunters to refrain from entering surrounding forested areas while security operations remain active.

The directives followed pursuit operations conducted by composite forces of the Philippine Army's 50th and 98th Infantry Battalions against suspected members of the New People's Army Ilocos-Cordillera Regional Committee.

Military forces engaged an estimated 10 armed individuals in Barangay Bonglo at around 11:10 a.m. on 4 August 2026. Authorities reported that three suspected rebels were killed in the firefight, while soldiers recovered two M16 rifles and one M14 rifle at the scene.

The firefight was a continuation of an initial armed encounter that occurred in the municipality on 2 August 2026.

The clash in Licuan-Baay is the latest in a series of security incidents in Abra, coming roughly two weeks after a separate encounter in Tineg, where a newly enlisted soldier was killed.

The ongoing military operations in Licuan-Baay have affected more than 300 families, leading to the temporary closure of local tourist sites and prompting local disaster risk reduction and management and social welfare offices to extend assistance.

Local officials said class suspensions and community travel restrictions will remain in effect until security forces declare the area clear of operational risks.