PNP to honor cops for defending NorCot police station, neutralizing 3 NPAs

From the Philippine News Agency (May 26): PNP to honor cops for defending NorCot police station, neutralizing 3 NPAs

The Philippine National Police (PNP) awards committee are now reviewing police reports and evidences about 15 policemen in North Cotabato who successfully foiled an attempt by about 70 communist guerillas to overrun a police office last week.

No less than the Office of the President has already sent commendations to Police Senior Inspector Bernabe Rubio and 15 of his men for repulsing attempts by New Peoples Army (NPA) rebels to overrun, kill or hostage police officers and killing three insurgents.

Senior Supt. Danilo Peralta, North Cotabato police chief, said medals and possibly promotions await Senior Inspector Rubio and his men for defending their office in the early hours of May 20.

Three days after the incident, Malacanang had recognized the competence of the policemen of President Roxas, North Cotabato.

The commendation was hand carried by Chief Supt. Lester Camba, police regional director for Region 12, and handed it over to Senior Insp. Rubio at the office of Supt. Peralta at Amas, Kidapawan City.

Rubio and his men have reaped praises and commendations from ordinary people to local officials and government leaders for successfully fighting off rebels and defending their headquarters.

While Rubio, who positioned himself at the roof top of the two storey police office, sustained gunshot wounds in the head, he and his men managed to neutralize three NPA members, including two field commanders and captured another guerilla who was wounded and rushed by policemen to a government hospital after the firefight.

Peralta said his office will know within the week what awards await Rubio and his men even as he said the cops only performed what was mandated of them -- protect and serve the people.

Following the daring NPA offensive, the police and military authorities in North Cotabato remained on alert for possible retaliatory attacks.

A day after the botched attempt by guerillas in President Roxas, two improvised bombs were recovered by government forces planted at a roadside in Greenhills detachment of the 57th Infantry Battalion.

Colonel Nilo Vinluan, 57th Infantry Battalion chief, said the rebels planted the IED in preparation for Army reinforcement following the harassment in President Roxas.

The IEDs were properly disposed by Army bomb experts.

Four days after the May 20 dawn attacks by NPAs in President Roxas, another four improvised bombs were discovered by residents in Barangay Luna Sur in Makilala, North Cotabato.

Vinluan said the IEDs were planted at the roadside along a road network frequently used by government forces, an indication these were for soldiers.

The site was the same road network where a platoon of 57th IB was land-mined by communist rebels following an ambush in Tulunan, North Cotabato.

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