Policeman wounded, governor unhurt in rebel ambush in Philippines

From the Mindanao Examiner BlogSpot site (Mar 27): Policeman wounded, governor unhurt in rebel ambush in Philippines

Communist insurgents attacked the convoy of a Filipino governor on Thursday and wounding one police officer in Agusan del Norte province in the restive southern region of Mindanao, officials said.

Captain Joe Patrick Martinez, a deputy spokesman for the 4^th Infantry Division, said at least 8 New People’s Army insurgents were involved in the ambush on the group of Governor Maria Angelica Matba, who was supposed to attend the handover of a school building in the village of Camagong in Nasipit town.

Matba was unhurt from the attack, but one of his escorts – whose name was not released by the army – has been shot. Media reports identified the policeman as PO1 Vincent Dubouzet.

Martinez said troops from the 29^th Infantry Battalion engaged the insurgents in a brief firefight, but the ambushers managed to escape.

Major General Oscar Lactao, the division commander, said: “Ang pag-atake ng NPA ay nag-iwan ng takot sa puso’t isipan ng bawat isa sa lokalidad lalong-lalo na sa mga bata na mag-aaral sa nasabing eskwelahan. Upang mapanatili ang mga isyu sa bawat lugar, mga isyu na nagagamit ng NPA upang paigtingin ang galit ng mga tao sa ating gobyerno gaya ng walang sapat na pasilidad para sa edukasyon, trabaho o hanap buhay para sa mamamayan, at programa para sa pag-unlad ng ating ekonomiya.”

 “Kinakailangang harangin o isabotahe ng mga NPA ang mga programang ito upang mas madali silang maka rekrut ng bago nilang miyembro. Itoy patunay lamang ng kanilang hindi pagsang-ayon na magkaroon ng katahimikan at pag-unlad ang ating bayan.”

There was no immediate statement from the NPA which is fighting for a separate Maoist state in the country.

http://www.mindanaoexaminer.net/2015/03/policeman-wounded-in-rebel-ambush-in.html