Pursuit ops vs. suspects in Maguindanao Sur ambush underway

From the Philippine News Agency (Jun 19, 2023): Pursuit ops vs. suspects in Maguindanao Sur ambush underway (By Christopher Lloyd Caliwan)

(File photo)

MANILA – The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Monday said it is now looking into ‘persons of interest’ on the ambush in Maguindanao del Sur which led to the death of two policemen and the wounding of four others.

Brig. Gen. Redrico Maranan, chief of the PNP-Public Information Office (PNP-PIO) said the local police have already come up with persons of interest in the ambush but refused to divulge names.

“Sa ngayon ay tuluy-tuloy yung paghabol ng ating mga pulis sa PRO BARMM (Police Regional Office of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao) at may magandang development sapagkat base sa kanilang pag-iimbestiga ay meron na silang mga persons of interest na tinututukan at sa ngayon ay doon nakatuon yung ating ongoing police operations (Right now, our PRO BARMM (Police Regional Office - Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao) police are following some leads and there are developments because based on their investigation they now have persons of interest that they are focusing on and for now that is where our ongoing operations are focused),” Maranan told reporters in a press conference held at Camp Crame on Monday.

Maranan said PNP chief Gen. Benjamin Acorda went to BARMM to get updates on the ambush and check on the security measures being implemented, especially since most of the 48 private armed groups were monitored to be in the region.

He also said the PRO BARMM were placed on the highest security alert status as part of the defensive measures and pursuit operations against the group responsible for the ambush incident.

Maranan said the declaration of full alert status in BARMM covers the conduct of checkpoints and chokepoints, as well as the regular conduct of police visibility and intelligence-gathering.

“Our police forces in Maguindanao have been intensifying the security posture in the province against armed groups and other criminal elements,” said Maranan.

On June 14, armed men repeatedly shot a police vehicle with six policemen on board in Shariff Aguak town of Maguindanao del Sur while the car was on its way back to the police headquarters.

Pat. Saipoden Macacuna and Pat. Bryan Dalao Polayagan, both of the 1st Platoon of the 2nd Provincial Mobile Force Company, were killed in the ambush that took place around 8:30 p.m. while their vehicle was heading for the provincial police office headquarters in Datu Hofer, Maguindanao Sur.

Wounded in the same ambush was 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/1203796