UPDATE: 7 NPA rebels killed in clash with, police, military in Antique
SEVEN members of the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) were killed in a clash with police and the military in San Jose, Antique on Wednesday morning.
Joint elements of the San Jose Municipal Police Station and the Philippine Army were serving a warrant of arrest against Jason Talibo alias Bebe and Joven Ceralvo alias Lex at around 12:10 a.m. when the communist insurgents resisted resulting in a firefight that lasted for 33 minutes.
The fatalities were identified as Talio, Karen Ceralvo, Felix Salditos, Jason Sanchez, Rene Yap, Liezel Bandiola, and one unidentified male.
Ceralvo escaped and is currently at large.
There was no casualty recorded from the police and military.
Authorities recovered three grenades, two rifle grenades, one bolo, two empty magazines, two ammunition, four homemade firearms, two laptops, one netbook, 22 analog mobile phones, seven android mobile phones, five tablets, one DSLR camera, five pieces of camera batteries, two pocket wifi, one power bank, three SD cards, one USB, 22 assorted SIM cards, three transistor radios, four watches, 14 assorted cellphone charges, four headsets, one keyboard, and assorted wires.
They also recovered assorted medicines, eight backpacks, personal IDs, personal notebooks, bank books and ATM cards, extortion letters, list of extortion victims, money amounting to P34,601 and a black Honda XR 150.
Chief Supt. John Bulalacao, regional director of Western Visayas, ordered all police stations in the region to increase security after the attack.
“I require all police stations within my AOR (area of responsibility) to beef up their security and prevent the NPA [rebels]from launching attacks in retaliation following this accomplishment,” he said in a text message to reporters.
“No one is above the law and those who transgress the law shall face the bar of justice. In this case, they decided to put up a fight thus our operatives have no recourse but to defend themselves resulting in the death of the alleged NPA [rebels],” he added.
The armed encounter occurred five days after a 100 communist insurgents attacked a police station and town hall in Lapinig, Northern Samar.
The clash lasted for 30 minutes and ended when the rebels fled the area after paramilitary units arrived to help the policemen.
Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Oscar Albayalde ordered for the relief of all 21 police personnel of Lapinig, its chief, Insp. Noli Montebon; Senior Supt. Romeo Campomanes, Northern Samar provincial director; and Chief Supt. Mariel Magaway, Eastern Visayas regional director. ROY NARRA, WITH A REPORT FROM EUGENE ANDIONG
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