Eleven government troops were killed while seven were wounded in an encounter with communist rebels before dawn Saturday in Mansalay, Oriental Mindoro, the provincial military commander said.

A platoon of Philippine Army soldiers were on patrol as part of election security measures when waylaid by New People’s Army guerrillas at around 5:30 a.m. in Barangay Panaytayan, said Colonel Carlos Quita.

A three-hour gun battle also resulted in undetermined casualties on the side of the rebels, said Quita, who flew to the area Saturday morning.

He said the soldiers “fought it out literally to the last bullet.”

The Army soldiers were on patrol as part of the military’s drive to protect candidates from extortion schemes of NPA rebels, Quita said.

“The security patrols and relocation of troops are being implemented to ensure freedom of movement of the candidates when the campaign starts,” Quita said.

“This is also in line with our call for the candidates not to give in to ‘permit to campaign and permit to win’ demands of the local NPA insurgents in Mindoro,” he said.

Quita vowed to intensify military operations to ensure a clean and orderly election in May.

“The unfortunate incident this morning will all the more make us pour in more efforts for a credible honest election,” he said.

“We are sympathizing with the families of our soldiers who offered the supreme sacrifice in order to deliver to our fellow Filipinos our mandate of protecting their votes.”