NPA leader apologizes to Davao City Mayor Duterte after rebels ambush cops

From InterAksyon (Mar 10): NPA leader apologizes to Davao City Mayor Duterte after rebels ambush cops



The New People's Army (NPA) apologized to Mayor Rodrigo Duterte for the ambush incident that wounded two police officers and one civilian from Marilog Police Station on Sunday morning in Sitio New Calinan, Barangay Baganihan, Marilog District, Davao City.

The incident, the first to happen in Davao City the past years, disappointed the mayor because the NPAs breached a "gentlemen's agreement" that police must not be targets of their operations because the PNP perform different functions such as responding for assistance on theft and robbery, homicide and other crime situations.

Duterte, who convened a command conference on Sunday night, called up Kumander Bob to ask why it happened when they have a standing agreement not to hit the police of the city. Kumander Bob is a political officer of one of the NPA fronts operating in the region.

"We have an agreement, that is why the police are (safe) in going and out of the hinterlands," Duterte stressed. The mayor said the police do not go to the hinterlands to fight unlike the army.

Duterte put on loud speaker his call to Kumander Bob for the police and army to hear the conversation. Kumander Bob apologized to the mayor and recognized the mistake.

Kumander Bob explained to the mayor that one of the rebels, who fell asleep, accidentally released the detonator when he was awakened by noises when the police passed by.

The incident wounded SPO2 Rodger Sevillano and PO1 Marlon Coprada. The civilian was identified as Noel Ajao. All victims were brought to the Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC). The police team was on their way to respond to a traffic incident.

Kumander Bob assured the mayor it will be corrected so that no similar incident will happen again.

Duterte said it is up to the NPA to handle their men. “Ila na ang (It is their) internal discipline,” he said.

Duterte pointed out that it was enough for him that the NPA admitted lapses. “At least it was an admirable thing that they accepted responsibility. That itself is fine with me,” he said.

In a police report, the same NPA group was responsible for the burning of two delivery trucks at the vicinity of Sitio Kipulot in Barangay Palakapao, Quezon, Bukidnon.

It was also learned the NPAs lobbed a hand grenade into the police officers. Sketchy reports said improvised bombs were also planted along the Marilog Highway.

Police suspected it is the same group that ambushed police authorities in Bukidnon while on the way to respond to the burning of the delivery truck.

The army troops from the 84th Infantry Battalion pursuing the armed group.

Meanwhile, Duterte already visited the wounded police officers and offered to pay their hospital bills and other medical expenses.

http://www.interaksyon.com/article/106589/rebels-ambush-cops-npa-leader-apologizes-to-davao-city-mayor-duterte