NAGA CITY, Philippines (Bicol Standard) — Three Philippine National Police security escorts assigned to Food and Drug Administration Director General Charade Puno were killed while three others were wounded in an ambush incident along national highway of Lupi, Camarines Sur at around 9:10 a.m. Thursday.
The Camarines Sur police said that the cops killed in action include SPO1 Percival S Rafael; PO3 Carlito S Navarroza; PO1 Ralph Jason D. Vida while wounded were PO1 Jonathan P Perillo; PO1 Ruby S Buena; and PO1 Rodolfo F Gonzaga.
The personnel were on board a PNP marked vehicle en route to Daet, Camarines Norte, where Puno was scheduled to attend a consumer awareness advocacy and collaboration activity.
The suspects are believed to be more or less 20 members of a rebel group.
Puno, meanwhile, was unharmed in the incident.
Route security personnel from 1st Camarines Sur PPSC were able to immediately respond and retaliate, preventing further damages or fatalities, the Camarines Sur Police said.
The wounded personnel were immediately brought to Bicol Medical Center here for treatment.
Melissa Basmayor is the editor-in-chief of the Bicol Standard, a regional partner of Philstar.com.