NPAs kill 2 in raid on Quezon PNP outposts

Heavily armed Communist rebels attacked and overran Wednesday noon two police detachments and a field office of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) all located in Barangay Tabugon, Calauag, Quezon.

The high noon assault which occurred at the disputed territorial boundary of Quezon province and Bicol province, resulted in the killing of police detachment commander SPO4 Manuel Balla and of Army Cpl. Nestor Gapa, who was ambushed by the rebels' blocking force.

Critically wounded were Citizens Armed Forces Geographical Unit (CAFGU) member Arminio Espanol, 28, of Barangay San Lorenzo, Sta. Elena, Camarines Norte and DENR employee Jose Amando, 56, of Barangay Tabugon, Calauag, Quezon.

The two wounded victims are now confined at the St. Peter Hospital in Calauag town.

Gapa was waylaid by the rebels' blocking while driving his motorcycle along Quirino Highway in Barangay Bagong Silang, Guinyangan town.

Investigation showed that a 30-man rebel group, armed with high-powered firearms, surprised a team of Sta. Elena policemen and the TMG operatives respectively manning their adjacent detachments as they timed their assault at about 12:30 shortly after lunch the other day.

Balla and his men tried to repulse the attack but were subsequently overwhelmed by the rebels, who also overran an adjacent TMG detachment and torched a car owned by one of the TMG personnel manning the detachment.

Amando, a DENR employee was hit in the cross fire while manning his post also located in Barangay Tabugon.

Unconfirmed reports also showed the rebels commandeered a passing Zerpe Bus with license plates KPWA 538. The bus was later abandoned by the group in Barangay Doña Aurora, Calauag town.

Elements of the Army's 201st Brigade are now pursuing the rebels. The entire force of policemen based in Calauag and Tagkawayan have been placed on a high state of alert. - With Matthew Estabillo