Over 100 NPA rebels attack police station in North Cotabato town

From InterAksyon (May 20): Over 100 NPA rebels attack police station in North Cotabato town



The police station of President Roxas, North Cotabato and one of the rebels slain in the attack. (photos by Abner Francisco)

(UPDATE 2 - 12:06 p.m.) Over 100 suspected New People’s Army rebels attacked the police station of President Roxas, North Cotabato around 3 a.m. Tuesday.

The rebels on board a truck fired upon the police station, said North Cotabato Police Director Danilo Peralta.

Peralta said Inspector Bernabe Rubio, the town’s chief of police, was grazed by a bullet in the head.

“He is already in stable condition,” Peralta said.

The bodies of three suspected rebels were found near the police station. Recovered among them were one Armalite rifle and M14 rifle.

Lieutenant Colonel Nilo Vinluan, commander of the Army's 57th Infantry Battalion, identified the fatalities as Ronald Arnado, alias "Kumander Revo," an alias "Totoy Gamay," and Ibot Gumay, of Sitio Buay-Buay, Basak, Magpet, North Cotabato.

Another rebel, Orly Gabison, of Amabel, Magpet, was wounded and was brought to a hospital.

Peralte described the police station as "riddled by bullets."

Police are finding out which NPA command was behind the “harassment,” Peralta said.

Pursuit operations are also ongoing.

Captain Alberto Caber, spokesman of the Eastern Mindanao Command, said the firefight lasted for about 30 minutes and which the rebels withdrew towards Barangay Tuael.

The rebels, he said, “started to fire automatic toward the municipal police station and our policemen there fought back while waiting for our Army reinforcement.”

Pursuing soldiers later recovered the truck the rebels used, abandoned several kilometers away from the police station.

http://www.interaksyon.com/article/87171/over-100-npa-rebels-attack-police-station-in-north-cotabato-town