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Monday, June 30, 2008
At least 11 killed as army, police battle rebels
DAVAO CITY - Communist guerrillas attacked a police station and burned a cellular phone transmission tower sparking clashes with government forces that killed at least 11 people, an army official said Sunday.
About 50 New People's Army guerrillas attacked the Dapa Municipal Police Station in the town hall of Dapa and burned a cellular phone tower in nearby General Luna town in Surigao del Norte province in coordinated attacks late Saturday, regional military spokesman Major Armand Rico said.
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Residents near the police station fled their homes following the raid.
Reports reaching Sun.Star Davao showed that the rebels attacked the police station at Dapa town at around 10 in the evening of June 28.
The guerrillas took three assault rifles and five pistols from the Dapa police station before withdrawing. Officials barricaded roads to slow down the rebels, who split into two groups, Rico said.
Army troops and police found and battled one group of about 20 rebels, killing nine and capturing five guerrillas with three rifles, he said.
Two policemen were killed and four others were wounded in the clash, Rico said.
The other group of about 30 rebels fled by boat to Lapinigan island. Army troops pursued and briefly clashed with the rebels early Sunday.
Police and military reinforcements were already sent to the province since Saturday evening.
Helicopter gunships have been deployed to help kill or capture the rebels, who have been surrounded by troops in Lapinigan's forested interior, Rico said.
The rebels, who have waged a rural-based insurrection for about 40 years, have become more active in recent months, attacking remote police and military outposts and convoys to seize badly needed weapons. (AP/BOT/CPM of Sun.Star Davao)
For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Pampanga. (June 30, 2008 issue)
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