2 cops, soldier slain in NPA attacks

MANILA, Philippines — An Army soldier and two police officers were killed in attacks by suspected New People’s Army (NPA) rebels in Isabela, Masbate and Davao City, respectively, on Sunday.

Cpl. Denver Banban was with a team from the 86th Infantry Battalion who checked the reported presence of armed men in Sitio Minanga, Barangay San Carlos, Echague, Isabela when they encountered around 30 NPA guerrillas.

Senior Superintendent Reynaldo Garcia, Isabela police director, ordered the deployment of police personnel in Echague and adjacent towns to prevent the rebels from escaping.

In Masbate, troops from the Army’s 5th Regional Public Safety Battalion and 3rd Maneuver Platoon were on their way to a camp after verifying a shooting incident in Barangay Buyo, San Fernando when they were waylaid.

Police Officer 1 Matthew Baybayon died at the scene. PO1 Edgarde Artocillo Demingoy was confined in a hospital. 

The military said the rebels took the service firearms of the police officers. 

 At least 39 bullet shells for AK 47, M16 and M14 rifles were recovered at the scene.

In Davao City, PO3 Wilfredo Garol, 34, had just dropped off his wife at the school where she was teaching in Barangay New Valencia, Tugbok district when two suspected rebels hitched a ride on his motorcycle.

The rebels reportedly shot and then took Garol’s service firearm and motorcycle when they arrived in Calinan district.

2 soldiers hurt

Meanwhile, Pfcs. Richard Talania and Michael Soriano of the 24th Infantry Battalion were wounded in an encounter in Barangay Alangitan, Tubo, Abra also on Sunday.

A rifle, various types of ammunition, bomb materials and a backpack containing a medical kit were reportedly recovered from the rebels.

In Nueva Vizcaya, around 100 families displaced in the fighting between government troops and communist rebels in Barangay Sanguit, Dupax del Sur on Thursday returned to their homes yesterday.

A rebel was killed while 10 soldiers were wounded in the firefight that lasted for almost nine hours. – Raymund Catindig, Celso Amo, Edith Regalado, Artemio Dumlao, Victor Martin