9 killed, 10 wounded in demolition operations in Kalinga province

By Ronron
June 26, 2007

A demolition operation last Monday in Kalinga province resulted to the death of nine men who fought out with government troops in resisting the activity, police said.

Sr. Supt. Severino Cruz, provincial police commander, said on Tuesday that joint police and military men were implementing a demolition order of the municipal government of Rizal in said province when armed residents of the community to be cleared opened fire at them.

A report from Cordillera Region Police Information Officer Supt. Arni Dean Emock said the incident happened at Sitio Malapiat, Barangay San Pascual in Rizal starting 7:30 am until 5pm.

Cruz said the local government wants a vast farmland in Sitio Malapiat cleared of the illegal settlers, consisting of at least 30 families, thus, the assistance of the police and the Philippine Army was sought.

In the course of the implementation of the demolition order, which was authorized by a Sangguniang Bayan Resolution of the Municipality of Rizal, armed male residents opened fire at the arriving troops, ensuing a firefight.

Wounded in the incident were 10 policemen, while nine of the suspects were killed. Five other suspects were arrested, according to Cruz.

Emock said recovered from the suspects were two M16 rifles with short magazine and live ammunition, one US Carbine with one magazine and three live ammunitions, two long homemade shotguns with two live ammunitions inserted on its chamber, one short homemade shotgun, one hand grenade and two empty shells for gauge 12 cartridges.

Two of the wounded policemen were brought to the Cagayan Valley Regional Hospital in Carig, Cagayan where they underwent surgical operations, while the rest were evacuated to the Kalinga Provincial Hospital.

The cadavers of the slain suspects, meanwhile, were brought to the Carbonel Funeral Parlor for identification and autopsy, Emock said.

Cruz said he is not discounting the possibility that the suspects include communist rebels since the area is known to be under the influence of the New People’s Army.

Cruz said after the heavy firefight, the local government successfully took control of the area and it is now being guarded by policemen./DMS