PHILIPPINE National Police (PNP) chief Ronald dela Rosa ordered on Monday, February 19, the deployment of additional Special Action Force (SAF) troopers in Antipolo City in Rizal to pursue the suspects responsible in the ambush of SAF personnel there on Sunday.
"I have directed the regional director of Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon) and the director of the Special Action Force to coordinate efforts with the Philippine Army to pursue the small band of armed suspects, using internationally outlawed landmines, that waylaid a team of police commandos in Antipolo City yesterday morning," he said.
At around 6:30 a.m. on Sunday, February 18, suspected communist rebels waylaid SAF troopers who were traversing the public cemetery in Sitio San Josef, Barangay San Jose, Antipolo City, Rizal. Six policemen were injured.
The firefight lasted for at least an hour.
Dela Rosa assured that such incident will not diminish the PNP's resolve to continue providing service and protection to the people. (SunStar Philippines)