3 gun-for-hire rebels killed in Pampanga

SAN LUIS, Pampanga — This town’s reelectionist Mayor Jay Sagum survived yesterday an ambush attempt allegedly by hired communist rebels, but three of his would-be assassins got killed and another was captured in a clash with policemen who served as his advance party to a campaign sortie in Sitio Ilog a Metung in Barangay San Isidro here.

Rep. Juan Pablo Bondoc, who is running unopposed for reelection in Pampanga’s fourth district, said Sagum was only about 200 meters away from a team of eight policemen when the firefight ensued at about 11 a.m. yesterday.

The clash lasted for about an hour-and-a-half.

Bondoc said that supporters of Sagum had earlier reported the presence of armed men at the sitio where the mayor was slated to conduct a house-to-house campaign yesterday.

The report prompted Sagum to send ahead a team of policeman led by Senior Inspector Remigio Layug.

Bondoc said the suspects were apparently members of the New People’s Army (NPA) hired by the political rivals of Sagum.

Three suspected NPA’s were killed in the clash, which led to the capture of one Ferdinand Dimacali.

The dead were not immediately identified.

Police recovered one M-16 and five M-14 rifles at the site.

Bondoc cited police investigators as saying the rebel group was headed by one Kumander Venus.

Bondoc said that the hiring of armed rebels has increased political tension in this town, as well as in Minalin and Masantol. — Ding Cervantes