Nocppo, Army augment town policemen after deadly ambush

Sun Star-Bacolod (Feb 20): Nocppo, Army augment town policemen after deadly ambush

MONTHS before the ambush Thursday night that killed two policemen and injured two others, intelligence reports about the possible attack of rebels in Candoni, Negros Occidental have already surfaced.

Senior Superintendent William Señoron, officer-in-charge of Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office (Nocppo), told Sun.Star Bacolod there have been “insurgency threats” in the municipality as early as November last year.

“Their plan was to attack the police station but they couldn’t penetrate because our police were always on alert,” Señoron said. “That’s why they planned to hit the police patrol instead.”

At past 9 p.m. Thursday, six police officers responded to a call for assistance from Barangay Caningay where a man was stabbed in a commotion.

As they were driving back to the police station, they slowed down while approaching the Panaculan Creek Bridge as a felled banana tree blocked the road. Suspected members of the New People’s Army (NPA) then opened fire at the policemen.

Police Officer 3 Joeharry Peralta and PO1 Henry Pacheco were killed while PO2 Jay Arroyo and PO1 Modesto Bina were wounded.

Senior Police Office 4 Boyd Mate and PO1 Charlemagne Caballero were unharmed.

Bina was able to call the station using his cellular phone to inform their colleagues that they were ambushed.

Arroyo and Bina are being treated in separate hospitals.

Police recovered a number of bullet shells of AK-47 and M16 rifle from the ambush site.

Señoron said they continue to investigate the incident, adding that the commotion could be a “diversionary tactic” to lure the policemen out of the station.

During the commotion, Rey Duales was stabbed by a suspect, whose name was withheld. Duales was with the policemen when they were ambushed and he was also hit. He is still confined in a hospital.

Señoron said the police continue to be on alert, adding that they couldn’t determined yet if the attack was indeed perpetrated by the NPA rebels.

“Their style of attack is that of the NPA, although we’re looking at other possibilities,” he added.

Chief Superintendent Conrado Capa, officer-in-charge of Police Regional Office-Negros Island Region (NIR), told Sun.Star Bacolod there have been reported sightings of rebels in the area months before the attack.

He said an augmentation force from the police and the army have been deployed to Candoni after the ambush.

The police are conducting checkpoint operations while the army continue with the manhunt operations, Capa said.

The PRO-NIR chief noted that it took a while for authorities to respond to the ambush site because they “took precaution” as the armed men may have set up a blocking force to engage responding authorities.

Sometimes, there are even more casualties among the responding force, Capa added.

He reminded policemen to strengthen the security of their stations, be aware of their surroundings, and have proactive mobile forces.

‘We are okay now’

Candoni Vice Mayor Diomedes Magada told Sun.Star Bacolod that the townspeople have started to move on from the terror.

“We are okay (now),” he added.

He said they only learned about the reported threats Friday, but stressed that the town police have not been remiss in their duty.

Magada added that Senior Inspector Varie Villanobos, town police chief, has been hands-on.

“He never left the police station. He doesn’t even go on vacation or come home to his family,” the vice mayor said.

Full alert

The Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO) went on full alert following the Candoni ambush.

Capa directed Senior Superintendent Flynn Dongbo, officer-in-charge of BCPO, to conduct target hardening measures in vital installations in Bacolod.

Superintendent Alexander Ermeo, deputy city director for administration, said Friday all station chiefs were directed to alert their personnel and to tap the barangay intelligence members to gather information.

Condemned

The Army’s Third Infantry Division condemned what it described as the treacherous act of the rebels.

Lieutenant Colonel Ray Tiongson, chief of the Third ID Public Affairs Office, said the action of the Communist Party of the Philippines-NPA is a blatant violation of the Comprehensive Agreement on Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law in which the CPP-NPA and its political wing National Democratic Front is a signatory.

“Their (NPA) action will not go unpunished,” he added.

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/bacolod/local-news/2016/02/20/nocppo-army-augment-town-policemen-after-deadly-ambush-458314