NPA Rebels Ambush PNP Personnel

CAMP ELIAS ANGELES, Pili, Camarines Sur – Heavily armed NPA rebels ambushed a PNP mobile patrol car carrying ten (10) policemen on 11 January 2010 at around 2:30pm, a military officer said here today.

Major Harold Cabunoc, the 9ID Spokesman, said that the policemen from Casiguran Municipal Police Station led by SPO1 Cicero Vargas were fired upon by more or less 3-5 rebels while they were travelling along Maharlika Highway in Brgy Punong, Casiguran, Sorsogon.

The patrol car was hit by small arms fire but no one was hurt among the PNP personnel who were able to succesfully repulse the rebels. The PNP personnel have just attended a coordination meeting with local leaders in the said baranggay when the incident happened.

At around 3:00 pm, Colonel Joselito Bernardo, commander of 903rd Infantry Brigade, immediately dispatched troops of the 49th Infantry Battalion under 1LT Dela Cruz in tandem with the PNP personnel led by PCI Rogelio Beraquil to pursue the fleeing communist terrorists.

Earlier in the day, at around 530am, another encounter occurred in Bgy Ginangra, Magallanes, Sorsogon which yielded five (5) M16 Rifles, one (1) Ultimax Light Machinegun, and one (1) M2 Carbine Rifle. Subversive documents recovered from the scene of the firefight also showed the names of local politicians who are suspected to have provided support to the communist rebels.