FIVE policemen were killed while 10 others were wounded in an encounter between personnel of Cagayan Regional Police Safety Battalion (RPSB) and suspected New People's Army (NPA) rebels in Cagayan province on Tuesday.
Citing initial report from Cagayan Valley regional police director Chief Superintendent Reiner Idio, Interior and Local Government Secretary Mel Senen Sarmiento said the firefight started around 10 a.m. as government troops were conducting pursuit operations against the suspects.
The NPA rebels in the area were the alleged suspects who set on fire a bulldozer being used in an irrigation-related project last February 14.
"It is still very sketchy (the report). I just talked to General Idio and we have 5 KIA (killed in action) and 10 WIA (wounded in action). There is aerial support now on the ground, by now perhaps they now reached the area," Sarmiento said.
"So 'yung group (of policemen) naman ay nakapag-regroup, ganda ng position nila. Ang medyo nadisgrasya ay 'yung unang burst of fire. Very sketchy pa at di pa natin mabigay ang buong detalye, we are focused on our men especially wounded and those killed," he added.
Sarmiento said he will fly to Cagayan on Wednesday morning together with Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Ricardo Marquez to personally asses the condition of the troops.
"Our focus right now is on those killed in action and the reinforcement and those wounded in action. Ongoing pa ang situation on the ground," he added. "We want to make sure there is reinforcement there to protect and ensure that the others will be able to get out of the area at safely."
Marquez said he already ordered the provision of necessary assistance to the involved policemen.
Meanwhile, Cagayan Regional Police Office spokesperson Chavalier Iringan said air and land reinforcements are already available. (Sunnex)