FIVE suspected New People’s Army (NPA) rebels and a police officer were killed in an encounter in Purok Matin-ao 2, Barangay Campagao in Bilar town, Bohol, on Friday morning, Feb. 23, 2024.
One of the suspected NPA rebels was identified as Domingo Jaspe Compoc, also known as Ka Silong, a top leader in Bohol. He had a bounty of over P2 million for several criminal cases.
The other fatality, Hannah Joy Cesista, who went by the aliases Maya and Lean, had passed the Bar examinatioms in 2022, but she failed to take oath as a full-fledge lawyer.
Police Corporal Gilbert Ampi, a member of the Provincial Intelligence Unit of the BPPO, died in the encounter, while another police officer was injured.
In a video from the place that went viral on social media, shots can be heard at 6:50 a.m.
The encounter lasted for two hours and 45 minutes, from 6:50 a.m. until 9:35 a.m., according to Bohol Police Provincial Office (BPPO) spokesperson Lt. Col. Norman Nuez.
Aside from Compoc and Cesista, the other suspected NPA rebels killed in the encounter were Parlito Segovia, also known as Aldrin, who served as a political guide and assistant squad leader; squad member Marlon Omosura, also known as Darwin; and an individual only known as Juaning.
Ampi was taken to the Congressman Simeon Toribio Memorial Hospital in Carmen town, but was declared dead on arrival. The wounded policeman was transferred to Tagbilaran City.
According to Nuez, the rebels opened fire on the police and soldiers as they were going to serve the arrest warrants for their pending cases.
Compoc was recognized as the former squad head of the Bohol Party Committee and commanding officer of the Sandatahang Yunit Pangpropaganda, with a P2.6 million bounty.
His cases included robbery, homicide, attempted homicide, multiple murder, attempted murder and rebellion.
The authorities were able to trace the location of Compoc after a month of intelligence monitoring.
The government forces recovered six weapons of high caliber, including an M653 assault rifle, an R4 assault rifle, an M16 rifle and three .45 pistols, from the scene.
They searched the area to find any survivors that may be hiding in the village.
Four other NPA members were reportedly still alive.
Police Regional Office (PRO) 7 Director Brig. Gen. Anthony Aberin expressed regret over the death of Ampi.
Aberin urged the Boholonas to unite and help the government to defeat the terrorist groups that are harassing the peaceful community.
“This is an operational breakthrough in our fight against the communists-terrorists in Bohol, neutralizing the remaining leaders of their decades of terrorism and extortion victimizing innocent civilians. We call on the Boholanos to unite to help the government to finally defeat these heartless criminals who seek to destroy our peace and liberty,” Aberin said.
“The death of our hero cop will not be in vain and we shall continue doing our job well to give his sacrifices an everlasting meaning in the memory of his family and the Filipino people,” he added.
The PRO 7 assigned police personnel in Barangay Campagao to take care of the needs of the civilians who were affected by the encounter.
The Philippine National Police will also give assistance to the family of the dead police officer, including his burial.