A police officer was killed while four others were wounded in an encounter between the military and suspected members of the New People's Army in Sitio Calabugab, Brgy. Minapasok, Calatrava, Negros Occidental Wednesday morning, August 9.
Col. Leo Pamittan, provincial police director, said the incident was not an ambush but an encounter between government forces and suspected rebels.
As of the press deadline, the fatality remained unnamed as the family was not informed yet.
The joint operation of the 79th Infantry Battalion with personnel from the 6th Battalion of the Regional Mobile Group, 6th Special Action Battalion, 1st Negros Occidental Police Mobile Force Company, and the Calatrava Police Station was to serve a warrant of arrest to Darry Dayawan, Charity Amacan, and other members of the NPA, Lt. Col. Joem Malong, deputy for operations of the Negros Occidental Provincial Police Office (Nocppo), said.
Amacan is said to be the ranking officer of the dismantled Northern Negros Front of the NPA and is reportedly now on the run.
When the Calatrava police patrol car reached the area, an explosion, believed to be from an improvised landmine, occurred and gunfire rained on the police.
The injured police personnel were brought to the Central Bato District Hospital in Sagay City while another was transferred to a hospital in Bacolod City due to the severity of his wounds.
According to initial reports, one of those who were injured was Capt. Jesus Alba, the deputy police chief of the Calatrava police station.
A unit of the Nocppo Scene of Crime Operatives (SOCO) has already deployed to the area to conduct an investigation.*