Leftist rebels claim responsibility on attack against cops in Mountain Province

MANILA, Philippines (Xinhua) - The leftist New People's Army (NPA) claimed today responsibility on the ambush of police trainees in Mountain Province resulting to the death of one trainee and wounding of eight others.

Magno Udyaw, spokesperson of NPA Mountain Province Provincial Operations Command, said that a unit of the Leonardo Pacsi Command "successfully" ambushed at around 7:15 a.m. local time the troops of the Regional Public Safety Battalion (RPSB) of the Philippine National Police (PNP) who were undergoing combat training in Kabunagan village in Tadian town.

He said the attack undertaken by the leftist rebels was a " punitive action" against the state security forces, which virtually turned the province into a military garrison.

Contrary to government's claim that the police trainees were unarmed, Udyaw said that the NPA seized 14 high powered rifles, 11 M16 and three M14, from them.

"The PNP troopers were fully armed," he said.