NPA attacks police station in Samar

CATARMAN, Northern Samar: Two policemen were wounded after more than 100 members of the New People’s Army ( NPA) attacked the municipal police station of Lapinig in Northern Samar at about 2 a. m. on Friday and looted several weapons.

Senior Supt. Romeo Campomanes, Police provincial director, said six policemen defended the station from the rebels who opened fire as they tried to lay seized on their post.

The firefight lasted for about 30 minutes that wounded Police Officer ( PO) 1 Edison Aguirre and PO2 Gerry Quilicol. They were rushed to Gamay District Hospital for medical treatment.

Paramilitary units also arrived to help the police personnel prompting the rebels to abandon the area.

The rebels took several firearms, cash, cell phones and laptop computers from the police station as they fled towards the mountainous area of Lapinig and Jipapad in Northern and Eastern Samar.

Lapinig is located along the northeastern coast and the last town of Northern Samar in the boundary of Eastern Samar.

There was no report of casualties from the rebels’ side.

Campomanes said the raid may be in retaliation of the communist rebels after the arrest of a top- ranking NPA leader identified as Marieta Bartolo, alias Tayang, last July whose arraignment was set on Friday at Laoang Regional Trial Court in Northern Samar.

Sacked

PNP Chief Oscar Albayalde ordered the relief of all 21 police personnel of Lapinig, the chief of police, Insp. Noli Montebon, including the regional director of Eastern Visayas, from their positions after the NPA attack on Friday.

Senior Supt. Benigno Durana, PNP spokesman, said in a statement that Albayalde’s order is part of the investigation on looking into the circumstances surrounding the attack on the Lapinig town hall and police station at 2 A. M.

Montebon was reported missing during the attack but emerged from hiding four hours after the attack.

Albayalde also ordered the relief of Chief Insp. Juan Byron Leogo, commander of the 2nd Northern Samar Provincial Mobile Force Company,

Campomanes and Chief Supt. Mariel Magaway, regional director of Eastern Visayas upon the recommendation of the PNP Oversight Committee.

Chief Supt. Dionardo Carlos, head of PNP- Aviation Security Group, was assigned as officer- in- charge of Eastern Visayas.

Chief Supt. Joel Orduña, regional director of Davao Region, replaced Carlos as the head of PNP-Aviation Security Group.

PHILIPPINE ARMY’S 8TH INFANTRY DIVISION PHOTO COURTESY OF THE AFTERMATH Lapinig Municipal Police Station after the attack by New People’s Army rebels.