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By Maricel V. Cruz Reporter
The Philippine National Police
alerted police field units on possible hostile actions from the
communist New People’s Army (NPA).
PNP Chief Director General
Avelino Razon Jr. instructed the Directorate for Operations to relay
the warning to Police Regional Offices where there are active CPP/NPA
guerilla fronts.
“We are calling on PNP and
military units in isolated outposts and far-flung detachments to
remain vigilant and pro-active against the insurgents,” Razon
said.
The Chief PNP’s caution to
police field unit commanders came in time with the police and
military operations in Mindanao against the rebel group who ambushed
a military convoy killing three soldiers, and wounding 21 others.
The ambush took place Monday
morning in Barangay Illustre, President Roxas, North Cotabato. Five
troops from the Charlie Company of the 39th Infantry Battalion,
under the 10th Infantry Division onboard two military trucks were
traveling along the said Barangay when landmines planted by
communist rebels hit them. The rebels then opened fire at the
soldiers, resulting in a heavy firefight, killing three government
troops and wounding others.
Just more than an hour after the
said attack, another alleged NPA attack took place in Bicol when
unidentified hitmen allegedly assassinated Police Superintendent
Narciso Guarin in Legaspi City. The incident coincided with the
arrival of President Arroyo in Camarines Sur for a two-day visit,
accompanied by her son Rep. Dato Arroyo.
Police Supt. Guarin was deputy
chief of Philippine National Police Personnel and Human resource
Development Division (R1) and was a former Legazpi City police
chief.
Initial investigation showed that
Guarin was on his way to work onboard his Toyota car when four
unidentified gunmen fired at him. Scene of the Crime Operatives (SOCO)
recovered 36 M16 rifle shells from the crime scene. Witnesses said
the assailants fled towards neighboring villages in Daraga, Albay
after the incident.
According to Razon, both
incidents in North Cotabato and Bicol, and the series of armed
hostilities during the past two weeks in Compostela Valley, Agusan
and Surigao provinces, indicate an escalation of offensive actions
by the NPA.
This developed as Razon announced
the PNP is set to deploy 127 newly commissioned Police Inspectors,
who just graduated from the Philippine National Police Academy Class
of 2008, to the Police Regional Offices.
The new officers are undergoing
orientation at the National Headquarters before they are deployed to
the Regional Mobile Groups (RMG) to the regions.
--With Al Jacinto, Rhaydz B. Barcia, Jefferson Antiporda AND
Manny T. Ugalde
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