5 cops killed, six wounded in NPA attack in Occidental Mindoro

By Ronron
May 10, 2007

Five policemen were killed while six others were wounded after they were attacked by suspected members of the New People’s Army (NPA) on Thursday morning while conducting road security operations in Mindoro Occidental province, officials said.

Sr. Supt. Audie Arroyo, provincial police director, said the victims were part of the 14-man team from the 407th Police Provincial Mobile Group that were tasked to ensure the safety of Governor Josephine Sato who was set to pass by the ambush site later in the day.

Arroyo said the policemen were riding a Toyota Hilux back-to-back mobile patrol car when ambushed by some 30 suspected rebels at around 7:30 am yesterday (Thursday) along the Zigzag Road in Sitio Tugtugin, Barangay Batasan, in San Jose town.

In his initial report to Camp Crame, Region IV-B Police Director Chief Supt. Napoleon Cachuela said that four members of the team alighted from the vehicle upon arrival at the zigzag road since they are already aware that it is a possible ambush area.

Suddenly, a loud explosion, believed to be from a landmine or an improvised explosive device, was heard from the back of the vehicle, causing it to overturn. Immediately, gunfires were coming from the left side of the road, targeting the policemen and the patrol car.

Although the government troops managed to retaliate, ensuing a five-minute exchange of gunfires, they still suffered many casualties due to the surprise attack.

Killed were PO3 Leonardo Medilla, PO2 Nelson Barrientos, PO2 Gabriel Ordanes, PO2 Rommel Caleze, and PO2 Alberto Hilario.

And those wounded were PO3 Elmer Legayada, PO1 Ronnie Rivera, PO2 Joel Vizcarra, PO3 Mario Barbosa, PO2 JuliusVillaflores, and PO2 Jonathan Alvarez, who were all brought to Murtha District Hospital in San Jose for medical treatment.

Arroyo said the guerillas used long firearms such as M16, M14 and carbine in the attack.

In a separate report, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Southern Luzon Command spokesman Lt. Col. Roderick Parayno said they received information that there were also casualties on the NPA side but were successfully brought along by their fleeing comrades.

“Information has it that while withdrawing, the enemies were carrying two improvised stretchers believed to be carrying killed comrades,” Parayno said.

Arroyo said the fleeing rebels carted away eight long firearms of the policemen.

The police car was rendered useless after it was damaged, especially its engine, by the blast.

Cachuela said reinforcement elements from the provincial police and the Charlie Company of the 80th Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army were organized and proceeded to the area.

“Joint pursuit operation by reinforcing units is ongoing to track down the perpetrators while checkpoints were established all over the province at major routes by police stations in their respective area of responsibility,” Cachuela said.

In a phone interview, Sato expressed condemnation of the ambush and said that the NPA was just trying to show force because it is hurt by her anti-insurgency campaign in the province.

A few months back, Sato said she has convinced all local candidates in the province not to give in to the permit-to-campaign and permit-to-win fees being collected by communist rebels in the province.

“As Governor, I have declared a total war against insurgency. I have responded to the call of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to end the insurgency problem in two years,” Sato said.

And so, even with the attack, Sato said she will continue to exert more efforts to fight the problem of insurgency./DMS