NINETEEN police officers and some soldiers were hailed for defending a police community post attacked by alleged members of the New People’s Army (NPA) on September 6, in Butuan City.
The 19 policemen belong to the Butuan City Mobile Force Company, Butuan City Police Office Station 5, and 6 soldiers of the 23rd Infantry Battalion.
Police Lieutenant Rannel Caya said the NPA rebels were prepositioned more than 200 meters away from the police post, and went on to harass the troops by firing for about five minutes.
Lieutenant Colonel Francisco Molina, 23IB commanding officer, said the NPAs continued to fire at the community post even with civilians around.
“They put innocent civilians in danger, with complete disregard to the International Humanitarian Law (IHL) contrary to their claim of being soldiers of the masses,” Molina said.
Molina also urged police and soldiers to intensify their monitoring and prevent attacks of the NPA.
“We reiterate our call to the remaining CNT’s to lay down their arms and abandon the lost cause resulting to 50 years of fear and terror to our people and derailing progress and development in the countryside,” he said.
The police and soldiers were able to retaliate but the police station building was already hit with 11 gunshots fired by the NPAs.
During the clearing operations, authorities recovered several ammunition of M16, M14, and AK-47 in Subait River where the NPA were believed to have been hiding during the attack.