ON August 22, a pump boat carrying suspected members of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and the New People's Army (NPA) exploded in the waters off Western Samar, killing several, if not most of its passengers. The boat was carrying ammunition, firearms, maybe explosives, and at least some of the people on the boat had been exchanging fire with pursuing soldiers. Eight bodies, several torn to pieces, one headless, were retrieved from the waters the next day. The identities of the fatalities remain unknown.

What is known is that the troops responded to information from villagers that suspected members of the NPA were loading ammunition onto the banca on the shore of Tarangnan, about 17 kilometers north of Catbalogan City. Some 'VIPs' were reported to be among the passengers, possibly Benito Tiamzon (71) and his wife Wilma Austria (69), the leaders of the CPP. The boat blew up, no survivors have been found. There is no official confirmation as to whether the Tiamzon couple had indeed been on board but according to a source one of the two died while the other survived the blast.