Non-commissioned Police Officer 1 Roel O. Armecin will be promoted after single handedly repelling a raid by 15 communist rebels all armed with assault rifles on a police precinct in T'boli,
“I will be recommending Armecin for meritorious promotion. He is a source of pride and inspiration for all of us in the Philippine National Police,” provincial police director Senior Supt. Romeo Ver said.
Armecin had just graduated from a handgun marksmanship training, according to Ver.
“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 said.
The firefight between Armecin and New People's Army (NPA) rebels happened at about 11:45 a.m. at the
The rebels, all armed with AK-47 and other assorted firearms, arrived on board a white Isuzu Elf truck, according to Ver.
Armecin said the rebels had lobbed a grenade and fired inside the Compac and forcibly destroyed the cabinets in the station, carting away the .45-caliber pistol issued to PO3 German Golingay, another Compac duty officer.
Also, the NPAs seized three sets of PNP uniforms, wallet, and the mobile phone of Armecin, personal money amounting to P1,000, identification cards, ATM cards, and personal items owned by Golingay and Armecin.
The center's base radio was also damaged by gunfire. The shotguns issued to the two policemen were likewise damaged and rendered useless after being hit by enemy fire. Golingay and Armecin were able to seek cover and were unhurt.
Despite the superior strength and firepower of the enemy, Armecin was able to exchanged fire with the raiders using his personally owned licensed .45-caliber pistol.
“I saw two of the raiders fall down after I hit them with my...pistol,” Armecin said.
After robbing the policemen of their personal belongings, the NPA raiders lobbed three more fragmentation hand grenades then withdrew on board the same white Isuzu elf truck that they used in getting to the police station. But all the three grenades failed to explode. The raiders later shouted, “Mabuhay ang NPA [Long live the NPA]!”.
Witnesses saw at least two of the raiders lying wounded on the getaway truck. Witnesses also reported seeing at least 10 other NPA rebels who were positioned several hundred meters away, waiting to ambush government forces who were on their way to the Compac.
After receiving reports about the incident, Chief Supt. Charles Calima Jr., regional director of Police Regional Office 12, immediately proceeded to the Compac.
“I ordered the immediate reinforcement of the COMPAC and the blocking of all possible exit points of the NPA raiders. We proceeded to the COMPAC to check on our troops and personally direct hot pursuit operations,” Calima said.
Pursuing policemen recovered one dead body confirmed by Armecin to be one of the NPA raiders that he shot. Found from the rebel's body were live rounds for AK-47 and a mobile phone that contained video footage of NPAs undergoing tactical training. The body, currently at Saint Peter Funeral Homes in Surallah town remains unidentified.
“The raiders are believed to be members of Front Committee 73 led by Antonio Albotra alias
http://www.interaksyon.com/article/57680/lone-cop-repels-15-man-npa-raid-on-police-station-in-south-cotabato
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