3 missing cops seized by NPA?

Police authorities believe that New People’s Army (NPA) rebels in Negros Oriental might have seized a police captain and two of his men who have remained missing after an ambush that left two other lawmen dead last Tuesday.

Philippine National Police chief Director General Hermogenes Ebdane Jr. directed Senior Superintendent Ernesto Belen, Central Visayas police director, to personally supervise the hot pursuit against the NPA ambushers.

Believed being held captive by the rebels are Senior Inspector Ramil Viscaya, police chief of Guihulngan, Negros Oriental; and SPO4s Jaime Provichado and Modesto Lagusad.

Viscaya was leading a police contingent running after the NPA band which ambushed and killed Inspector Leopito Gallego, police chief of Villahermosa town, and his driver PO3 Cipriano Saludes Tuesday afternoon, when they themselves were waylaid.

Three policemen were wounded in the two incidents.

Quoting a report from Belen, Senior Superintendent Paul Bataoil, PNP spokesman, said elements of the Army’s 66th Infantry Battalion and 303rd Infantry Brigade have joined the police in the hot pursuit.

Bataoil said government forces on Negros island have also been alerted against more rebel attacks.

Col. Alphonsus Crucero, 303rd IB commanding officer, said the 40 rebels, who staged the two ambuscades in Guihulngan town, may belong to a big NPA force that has split into several groups. — With Antonieta Lopez