Cop killed, 2 wounded in Masbate ambush

MANILA, Philippines – A police officer was killed while his two companions were wounded in an ambush by suspected New People’s Army (NPA) guerrillas in Baleno, Masbate yesterday morning.

Police Officer 2 Jack Brondial and his colleagues PO1s Warren Amistoso and Rex Valdemoro were on their way back to the station when an improvised explosive device went off shortly before 6 a.m.

Brondial died at the scene while Amistoso and Valdemoro were taken to a hospital for treatment.

Investigation showed that a team of seven officers responded to a report about a dead body found in Barangay Gangao.

They were in a patrol car on their way back to the police station when the IED exploded and followed by a burst of gunfires in Sitio Tangad.

The patrol car swerved and hit a concrete wall about 120 meters away from the explosion site.

Brondial was hit in the head during the explosion while his companions managed to return fire, which resulted in the wounding of Amistoso and Valdemoro.

The firefight lasted 10 minutes before the rebels escaped toward Aroroy town.

Alert up

Meanwhile, the Bicol police are on high alert following the killing of two police officers in an NPA ambush in Bulan, Sorsogon on Friday.

The ambush also resulted in the killing of a civilian.

Bicol police director Chief Superintendent Augusto Marquez ordered all police stations in the region to be on alert against NPA attacks and ambuscades.

The NPA escalated attacks on government forces after president-elect Rodrigo Duterte expressed his intention to resume peace talks with the Communist Party of the Philippines. The NPA is the CPP’s armed wing. – With Celso Amo, Francis Elevado, Cet Dematera