Civilian hurt as armed men storm police outpost in South Cotabato village

From the Philippine News Agency (Mar 20): Civilian hurt as armed men storm police outpost in South Cotabato village

A civilian was wounded after armed men believed to be members of the New People’s Army (NPA) stormed a police outpost in an outskirt village in T’boli town in South Cotabato Wednesday noon .

Sr. Supt. Romeo Ver, newly assigned South Cotabato police director, said at least 20 heavily armed men aboard a white Isuzu Elf truck entered a portion of Barangay Sinolon in T’boli at 12:10 p.m. and attacked a community police assistance center or Compac in the area.

He said a bystander was hit after the gunmen suddenly opened fire at the outpost, which was located around 10 meters away from the national highway.

The police official said the attackers then entered the outpost and took a .45 caliber handgun before hastily leaving the area through another nearby village.

“They threw two hand grenades at the outpost but one of them did not explode after its pin was not detached,” he said.

The injured civilian only sustained minor hits and is now recuperating at a private hospital in the area, he said.

Dominador Siloterio, T’boli information officer, identified the wounded civilian as Aurelio Dao, a member of the village’s Civilian Volunteer Organization.

He said authorities were still investigating if the armed men were NPA rebels.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=508932