Abducted cops kill rebel guards in daring escape

From the Mindanao Gold Star Daily (Apr 20): Abducted cops kill rebel guards in daring escape

BUTUAN City––Two police officers from Loreto, Agusan del Sur who were taken by New People’s Army (NPA) rebels last Sunday escaped on Thursday after killing two guerrillas who were guarding them.

Police said the two officers––PO2 Ronald Alan Muñez and PO1 Nemuel España––managed to escape and brought with them two AK47 assault rifles from Barangay Maitum in Loreto town.
Muñez and España, police said, managed to untie themselves and grabbed a rebel’s rifle which was used in shooting two guerrillas assigned to guard them.

The Caraga police quickly sent sent troops to Loreto for pursuit operations.

Police regional director Chief Supt. Getulio Napeñas said the two Loreto policemen were merely doing their job in trying to arrest a homicide suspect when rebels came and snatched them away.

Napeñas lauded Muñez and España for their “bravery, strong determination and dedication.”

Insp. Chris Artihemius Devaras, Loreto police chief said the two officers were already safe and were reunited with their families.

Devaras said the officers escaped in the afternoon and reached the town police station in the evening with the help of the Provincial Public Safety Company, 14th Special Action Company and the Army’s 26th Infantry Battalion.

He said the two police officers were undergoing and would be meeting with town and provincial officials.

“We will go after them (rebels). I am ordering massive pursuit operations against the abductors. What they are doing is no longer right. The two police officers were in that area because they responded to a reported hacking incident and then they got abducted,” said Napenas.

http://www.goldstardailynews.com.ph/mindanao/abducted-cops-kill-rebel-guards-in-daring-escape.html