BARMM police forms task group for cops’ ambush in MagSur

From the Philippine News Agency (Jun 16, 2023): BARMM police forms task group for cops’ ambush in MagSur (By Edwin Fernandez)

AMBUSH SITE. Brig. Gen. Allan Nobleza (center), BARMM police director, visits the site in Barangay Poblacion, Shariff Aguak, Maguindanao del Sur where two police officers were killed and four others were injured in an ambush by suspected Moro extremists on Wednesday night (June 14, 2023). Nobleza created a special investigation task group Friday (June 16, 2023) to hasten the probe into the incident. (Photo courtesy of PRO-BARMM)

SHARIFF AGUAK, Maguindanao del Sur – The Police Regional Office of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (PRO-BARMM) has formed a Special Investigation Task Group (SITG) to hasten the probe into Wednesday’s ambush here that killed two policemen and injured four others.

Brig. Gen. Allan Nobleza Nobleza, PRO-BARMM director, on Friday, condemned the attack and expressed his condolences to the families of the slain police officers. “My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family of the two slain policemen in the ambush-slay Wednesday night,” Nobleza said. “This tragedy is very saddening, and a clear attack against our policemen who performed duties to protect the citizenry.”

He said he has placed the entire police force in the region under heightened alert.

“Our men on the ground are working double to bring justice to our slain and wounded cops, and to secure the peace and order in the area,” he said.

As Nobleza announced the activation of the SITG, he reminded all police officers in the region to look after each other’s safety.

Patrolmen Saipoden Macacuna and Bryan Dalao Polayagan, both of the 1st Platoon of the 2nd Provincial Mobile Force Company, were slain in the 8:30 p.m. ambush while heading for the provincial police office headquarters in Datu Hofer, Maguindanao Sur.

Wounded in the same ambush were Police Chief Master Sgt. Rey Vincent Gertos, Staff Sgt. Benjie delos Reyes, and Patrolmen Abdulgafor Alib and Arjie Val Loie Pabinguit.

The local government here, meanwhile, has offered a PHP150,000 reward for anyone who could provide information that could identify the perpetrators.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1203654