Reports reaching the Caraga Police Information Office here claimed that the robbers, armed with high-powered firearms, ambushed the CAFGU members doing routine patrol near the vicinity of the construction firm’s sub-office in Barangay Cuyago.
One of the CAFGU members, a certain Felizardo Mongcano, was wounded in the firefight.
Reports said the robbers, believed to be headed by a certain Jimmy Brillantes, the alleged leader of a notorious group of robbers who victimizes stores, passenger buses and jeepneys along the national highway in the towns of Tubay, Santiago, Jabonga and Kitcharao, all in Agusan del Norte, may be responsible for the ambush.
The robbers allegedly knew that payroll money amounting to millions of pesos was inside the sub-office and tried to penetrate the security perimeters of the foreign construction firm but were repulsed by patrolling CAFGU members.
Earlier, Cuyago Barangay Captain Vicmar Telio reported to the CAFGU detachment in the area the rumored plan of the robbers to attack and rob the sub-office of China State, which is constructing a multi-million floodwall and a foreign-funded road project in the area. Thus, CAFGU operatives were sent to patrol the area.
The firefight lasted for about 20 minutes but the robbers managed to escape immediately.