MANILA (UPDATED) - Two soldiers were injured after a government relief convoy was ambushed by suspected members of the New People's Army (NPA) in typhoon-hit Samar province Friday morning, authorities said.

According to Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) spokesperson Col. Restituto Padilla, troops from the Army's 546 Engineering Battalion and 81st Division Reconnaissance Company, on board two M35 trucks, one elf truck and a mini dump truck, were attacked in the boundary of Barangays Madalunot and Pahug in Pinabacdao at around 7:30 a.m.

Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Assistant Secretary Vilma Cabrera said the convoy had just delivered relief items to victims of typhoon "Nona" in Oras, Eastern Samar and was on its way to pick up another set of relief goods for delivery in Catarman, Northern Samar when it was attacked.

The Army troops were with two female personnel from the DSWD who were going back to their base at the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) Region 8.

The AFP strongly condemned the ambush, saying it shows the NPA's disregard to the plight of victims of the typhoon.

"This is also a clear indication that the NPAs continuously and deliberately conduct atrocities against our troops and public servants who are only doing their job to alleviate the suffering experienced by storm victims in Visayas," it added.

Speaking to ANC, Padilla said the ambush could be part of the rebels' attempt to gain tactical mileage before enforcing a ceasefire.

The ceasefire begins on December 23 in time for the holidays and in preparation for the Communist Party of the Philippines - NPA - National Democratic Front (CPP-NPA-NDF) anniversary on December 26.

"Our vehicles were properly marked. They all had signages on the sides that clearly indicated that they were on a humanitarian mission," Padilla stressed.

"By all indications, by the 23rd, they would have had enough tactical victories in their score sheet according to them to portray they are still a force to reckon with and probably get some mileage for the peace talks."

Alexander Pama, executive director of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), likewise lamented that the attack came even at a time the nation was recovering from the onslaught of Nona.

"Ang nakakalungkot po rito, kahit ito ay pabalik na at kaka-deliver lang po nila ng mga relief items dun sa mga nasalanta nating kababayan eh sila po'y walang kaluluwa nitong mga masasamang loob na ito na in-ambush pa ang ating mga kasamahan na nagbibigay ng tulong sa ating mga kababayan," said Pama.

"Eh kung pwede naman po sana time out kung anuman yung kalokohan na iniisip nila, time out muna. Magsasama-sama tayong tulungan ang ating mga kababayan... Magkaroon sana kayo ng konsensiya," he added.

Despite the incident, the NDRRMC, DSWD and AFP assured that government relief efforts in the area will continue.

"Kahit po ito ay nangyari, ang gobyerno po, yung ating DSWD, ay tuluy-tuloy na tutulong. Hindi po kami titigil sa pagpapa-deliver ng relief at humanitarian items sa lahat po ng mga naapektuhan," Cabrera said.