3 dead in alleged NPA ambush

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines  – A high school student and two others were killed yesterday when the cargo truck they were riding in was waylaid in a far-flung barangay in Toboso town in northern Negros Occidental by at least 30 heavily armed men believed to be members of the New People’s Army.

Toboso police chief Senior Inspector Nestor Tuadles identified the fatalities as driver Rodolfo Salipod, Ena Pata and a high school student, Edmar Sultan while those wounded were Eryl Baynosa, Ivy Recopelacion, student of Toboso National High School, and bystander Primitivo Lumapay who was reportedly in critical condition.

The victims, all residents of Barangay Salamangka, were rushed to San Carlos City Hospital while the bodies of the fatalities were brought to an undisclosed funeral parlor in the town.

Reports from the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office showed that the vehicle belonging to Barangay Salamangka was on its way to the town proper when it was ambushed at around 7:20 a.m. by the suspected rebels armed with M16 and M14 rifles.

Police investigators recovered empty numerous live ammunition and spent shells of M16 and M14 rifles from the scene of the ambush according to Police Chief Inspector Rico Santotome Jr., spokesman of NOPPO.

Police and Philippine Army officials in the province point to the members of Platoon 1 of Komiteng Larangan Northern Negros of the CPP-NPA as the ones responsible for the ambush.

Police Senior Superintendent Manuel Felix, Negros Occidental PNP director, ordered the police chiefs of Escalante City, Calatrava and nearby police stations as well as the 611th PMG to set up roadblocks and conduct checkpoint operations supervised by Superintendent Armando Tubongbanua, NOPPO deputy police director for operations, in areas that will be used by the rebels’ exit.