2 Bicol police chiefs shot dead

LEGAZPI CITY – Two police officers were shot dead in two separate attacks by armed men believed to be members of the New People’s Army (NPA) the other day in Masbate and Sorsogon, reports reaching Camp General Simeon Ola here said yesterday.

Senior Superintendent Eleazar Bron, Bicol police spokesman, identified the victims as Chief Inspector Alberto Montecalvo, police chief of Pio V. Corpuz town in Masbate; and Chief Inspector Cipriano Lachica, former police chief of Magallanes town and deputy chief of police of Bulan, Sorsogon before he retired from the service last year.

Quoting reports from the field, Bron said Montecalvo was shot dead at around 5 p.m. by armed men in Barangay Lampuyang, Pio V. Corpuz, Masbate, while Lachica was shot dead while on-board his motorcycle by two gunmen in Barangay Zone 1 in Bulan, Sorsogon at around 5:30 p.m.

Communist rebels were believed to be responsible for the killings, the police reported. Bulan police chief Jose Herero, however, said they would also look into other possible motives in the killing of Lachica as he was already a retired policeman.

Montecalvo and Lachica were the latest ranking police officials killed by the rebels in the continuing insurgency-related violence in the Bicol region.

Chief Superintendent Ricardo Padilla, Bicol police director, has ordered all provincial directors in Masbate, Albay, Sorsogon, Catanduanes, Camarines Norte and Camarines Sur to intensify intelligence and police monitoring and security measures.