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Monday, October 03, 2005
Surigao cops still clueless on ambush
By Ben Serrano
Caraga Correspondent
SURIGAO CITY -- Surigao City police are still clueless on the persons responsible in last Friday afternoon's ambush that killed four policemen one of whom is scheduled to retire next month.
The assault also wounded three cops with one of those declared wounded and missing returning home safely Sunday morning to the surprise of his family and friends.
Police Officer 1 Orlando Aurora Jr. of the Provincial Police Mobile Group (PPMG) returned home to his family and reported immediately to his mother unit, claiming he managed to survive the encounter.
Aurora admitted he hid after he saw four of his colleagues already dead and bathed in their own pool of blood.
Surigao City OIC Police Chief Virgil Ranes Taguiamon said they are still investigating the identities of those who ambushed his men and the composite team from the Surigao del Norte Police Provincial Mobile Group (PPMG).
The Surigao del Norte Police Office claimed it was the New People's Army (NPA) but witnesses living nearby in the crime scene claimed otherwise.
Witnesses said the suspects were armed groups called "White Eagles", majority of which were Philippine Benevolent Missionaries Association (PBMA) members who have been in the area for small-scale gold mining activities.
Unidentified armed men ambushed a V-150 PNP armor vehicle loaded with policemen who just came from clearing operations for illegal mining and logging activities along a declared watershed area in Mt. Pirang-Pirang, sitio Bedrock Barangay Mat-i this city last Friday afternoon.
Some claimed the suspects were miners themselves who have an axe to grind with the Police Provincial Mobile Group for allegedly forcing them out of the area.
As this developed, Surigao City Mayor Alfonso Casurra ordered the police to immediately submit reports of the investigation conducted by the police for positive identification of the suspects.
Casurra in a radio interview voiced his worries on the implication of the attack on the city's business climate.
One such attack occurred in Barangay Cabongbongan where an Army-Cafgu detachment was attacked or harassed by suspected NPA members last week.
No one was reportedly hurt in the government side but an undetermined number of rebels were wounded, the Surigao del Norte Police said.
(October 3, 2005 issue)
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