15 NPAs proved no match to rookie cop in South Cotabato

From the Philippine News Agency (Mar 22): 15 NPAs proved no match to rookie cop in South Cotabato

Courage proved the decisive factor as a rookie cop successfully repelled the attacks of 15 New People's Army (NPA) rebels on a police station in T'Boli, South Cotabato Thursday morning.

The assault took place around 11: 45 a.m.

Philippine National Police (PNP) spokesperson Chief Supt. Generoso Cerbo, Jr., identified the valiant officer as PO1 Roel O. Armercin.

The former was on duty on a sub-station of the T'Boli Municipal Police Station when 15 rebels, armed with AK-47 automatic rifles, hurled a fragmentation grenade at the police facility.

After this initial attack, the rebels forced themselves inside and looted the police precinct, carting away three sets of police uniforms, a .45 caliber pistol, various ATM cards and cash amounting to P1,000.

The rebels also succeeded in damaging the police radio and two shotguns issued to Armecin and another fellow officer.

Despite the superior enemy strength and firepower, Armecin battled it out with the raiders using his own .45 caliber pistol.

“I saw two of the raiders fall down after I hit them with my gun," he added.

At this point, the rebels lobbed three more fragmentation hand grenades and then fled aboard an Isuzu elf truck.

Fortunately, all the three grenades failed to explode.

Witnesses saw at least two of the raiders lying wounded on the floor of the getaway truck.

They also reported seeing at least ten other NPA members who were positioned several hundred meters away, waiting in ambush for the arrival of reinforcing government forces.

“I will be recommending Armecin for meritorious promotion. He is a source of pride and inspiration for all of us in the PNP,” South Cotabato Provincial Police head Romeo C. Ver said.

“Armecin just graduated from our Handgun Marksmanship Training. His training surely increased his confidence level, that was why he was able to maintain his cool and perform well under great pressure. Truly, Armecin makes the PNP organization proud. Always outnumbered, but never outfought.” Calima added.

The raiders are believed to be members of Front Committee 73 led by Antonio ALBOTRA alias Warren and Southern Alip Regional Guerilla Unit-Far South or SARGU-FS led by Ronie NAYRE alias Joy Joy.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=&sid=&nid=&rid=509736