Guihulngan ambush: Dela Rita denies ties with communist group

CEBU, Philippines - Guihulngan City Sangguniang Panlungsod member Edison Dela Rita vehemently denied insinuations that he has connections with communist terrorists in Guihulngan and that he framed up the ambush which resulted to the death of six policemen, including Guihulngan police chief, Police Superintendent Arnel Arpon on Friday.

In an interview today at his residence in Barangay Poblacion, Guihulngan City, Councilor Dela Rita, expressed sadness and condoled with the victims, saying he could, not in conscience, “feed” them to the rebels.

He told reporters he devoted his time working with government as barangay kagawad for three terms, as barangay captain for three terms and city councilor of the city, and that he has no reason to imperil the lives of police officers so their respective families will suffer.

Dela Rita said he was forewarned by Arpon a month ago that his name was found in the documents recovered during an encounter between the Philippine Army and communist terrorists as among the list of individuals that are ‘subject for liquidation’ by the CPP/NPA including plans to attack at least three police stations in the north, including the Guihulngan police station.

The city councillor further said he even cheated death by jumping off the ravine together with his driver while his back up driver  Michael Jambalos was killed in the exchange of gunfire.

Dela Rita sustained bruises, contusions and head injuries if only to survive while the rebels continued firing at them from the top.

Dela Rita was on board a motorcycle driven by his driver on his way to Barangay Balugo where he has a small rice field and piggery. Jambalos was driving another motorcycle bringing food provisions.

Upon reaching Sitio Mandi-e, he saw two young-looking individuals along the road. He cautioned his driver to watch the two carefully.  True enough, when the motorcycles were just a short distance away, the two pulled a .45 cal. and .357 cal. Revolver while one of them shouted “Banat!”

Luckily, he was not hit, their motorcycle sprawled on the road while Jambalos returned fire using a .45 caliber pistol while Dela Rita and his driver jumped down the ravine.

Dela Rita was able to contact the Guihulngan City Administrator Gino Mijares at about 10:00 a.m. to inform him that he was being ambushed.

At 10:30 a.m., they saw six policemen coming on board motorcycles, but when they were about to get out from the bushes, they heard bursts of gunfire and so they went back to hiding.

At 3:00 p.m., a lot of people were already in the area including reinforcements and rescuers. The first to bring one of the ambush victims is City Councilor Felomino Reyes, Chair of the Council’s Peace and Order Committee, who said that it was the City Administrator who received the phone call of Dela Rita because the two are neighbors.

After he was rescued, Dela Rita was accompanied by his children to the police station.

Vice Mayor Ernesto Reyes said the city will extend all assistance it can provide to the victims.

He considered the ambush as the worst that had happened in Guihulngan in his almost 60 years in government service.

Reyes said the fear that has gripped the city will surely affect the tourism promotion campaign that it has started.

He said that during weekends, Guihulngan is host to several tourists and visitors going to Hinakpan Hills, which is the Guihulngan version of the Chocolate Hills of Bohol, and the beautiful Cansalakan River in Banwague.

Assigned to normalize the situation in Guihulngan is Philippine National Police Deputy Provincial Commander for Operations Police Superintendent Carlos Lacuesta whose wife is a resident of Guihulngan and knows the terrain. All the six police officers had been brought to their respective homes today including Arpon who was brought to Hinobaan.

Another shooting incident

After the ambush on Friday, a man was shot dead by three individuals on board two motorcycles in Barangay Poblacion, just a few blocks away from the police station.

The victim was identified as Glenn Absin , 28 years old resident of Plaridel Street, who was taking his 4 year-old-child to the “Yamsky” barber shop in the poblacion, accompanied by his wife.

Absin sustained several gunshot wounds in the head and in the body with a .45 caliber pistol which resulted to his instantaneous death in front of his son and wife.

His father, Geoffrey, said Glenn has been going to school and has never been involved in illegal drugs. He said Glenn is the president of the Student Government of Saint Francis School in Guihulngan.

Vice Mayor Ernesto Reyes said the victim has a police record in Basay a few years back when he was an activist.

The barber, identified as Alvin Magallano said he could only see three unidentified suspects wearing bonnets and that the trigger man was holding  a .45 caliber pistol and an assault rifle, which he described as an UZI or a KG-9.

More than 12 empty shells from a .45 caliber pistol and from a 9mm pistol were recovered from the crime scene.

Reyes doesn’t believe the shooting has something to do with Friday’s ambush. (FREEMAN)