PNP alert level back to normal nationwide

Police eased down their alert level nationwide yesterday, citing the absence of any specific terror threat.

But soon after Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Arturo Lomibao had ordered a downgrade of the alert level, suspected communist rebels attacked a police station in Loreto, Agusan del Sur, killing a policewoman.

PNP spokesman Chief Superintendent Leopoldo Bataoil said the normal alert took effect at 9 p.m. Tuesday.

Lomibao ordered the downgrade of the alert level following a meeting with Australian Federal Police officials.

The PNP chief had met his Australian counterparts for a meeting over the two countries’ anti-terrorism efforts.

Bataoil said the PNP chief ordered the downgrade of the alert level upon seeing no significant changes in the country’s threat board.

Lomibao noted the reports submitted by police regional directors of the situation in their respective areas of jurisdiction.

"We are hoping that this (normal) situation will continue. We are hoping for the best but are prepared for the worst," Bataoil said.

Despite the normal alert status, all policemen were directed to remain on call even during the holidays. "We ensure that your PNP is ready to respond to any emergency," Bataoil said.

He stressed policemen are constantly on call to respond to attacks and maintain security.

However, initial reports said an undetermined number of New People’s Army (NPA) guerrillas attacked the Loreto Municipal Police Station yesterday, killing Police Officer 3 (PO3) Juliet Lozada while she was trying to repel the attack.

The report did not indicate how many other policemen were with Lozada during the attack and why other lawmen failed to protect her from the rebels. Earlier, Bataoil said the PNP would remain on full alert on Dec. 26, founding anniversary of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP).

It has been a bloody tradition for the CPP-NPA to launch attacks in celebration of their founding anniversary.

The 8,000-strong NPA has been waging an insurgency for 35 years. The conflict has killed 40,000 people, deterred investment and stunted rural development in one of Southeast Asia’s poorest countries.

Bataoil said the PNP would sustain its alert level on the fifth anniversary of the Rizal Day bombings on Dec. 30. — Cecille Suerte Felipe