FIVE policemen tasked to secure a campaign
sortie of re-electionist Occidental Mindoro Gov. Josephine Sato
were killed yesterday while five other policemen were wounded in
an ambush staged by New People’s Army rebels.
In Negros Occidental, two soldiers died in an
NPA ambush in Escalante City.
Lt. Col. Rhoderick Parayno, Southern Luzon
Command spokesman, said the policemen from the Provincial Mobile
Group were on their way to the rally site in San Jose town at
around 7:30 a.m. when the rebels numbering about 30 detonated an
improvised landmine and opened fire.
Police identified the fatalities as Police
Officers 2 Leonardo Medilla, Nelson Barrientos, Gabriel Urbano,
Rommel Calede, and Albert Hilario. Four of them died on the
spot.
Parayno said the rebels probably suffered
casualties as they were seen "carrying two improvised stretchers
believed to be carrying killed comrades."
Sato is a staunch critic of the communist
movement and has survived two ambuscades by the rebels since
2004. Shortly after the start of the election period, Sato
called on candidates not to pay permit-to-campaign fees to the
NPA.
In Negros Occidental, the soldiers from the
Army’s 33rd Reconnaissance Company, accompanied by two minors,
were on board a Suzuki Carry multi-cab when ambushed by about 30
NPA rebels at about 6:15 a.m.
They were on their way to Sitio Malasaging in
Barangay Pina-pugasan, Escalante City.
Identities of the slain soldiers were
withheld.
The civilians – Enarciso Librando, 16, and
Rey Pacumberto, 12 – suffered bruises. They were brought to the
Dr. Vicente Gustilo District Hospital in Escalante City along
with the two injured soldiers.
The ambush took place four days after
soldiers killed three suspected NPA guerrillas who were
collecting campaign permits from mayoralty candidates in Isabela
town.
Fajardo also reported an encounter between
Army Scout Rangers and suspected NPA rebels in Calatrava, Negros
Occidental.
Troops recovered a fragmentation grenade, a
homemade shotgun, a magazine of M-16 rifle and a backpack with
personal belongings.
Four Air Force helicopter gunships are assisting soldiers in
pursuit operations. The rebels are believed to be members of the
NPA Larangan Gerilya 3 operating in northern Negros. –
Victor Reyes, Raymond Africa and Gilbert Bayoran
